Saint Nick The Lesser Stuns With Powerful, Breath-Stealing Performance In “21 Minutes”
- STAFF
- Jul 2
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 2
By: Staff
Raw, electrifying, and soul-shaking, Saint Nick the Lesser delivers pure emotional mastery in “21 Minutes”
One of our favorite, most talented, and charismatic performers, writers, and singers, Saint Nick the Lesser delivers once again with his latest release, “21 Minutes.” The moment it landed in our inbox, we knew this was the track we’d been waiting on. To top it off, there’s an official music video, and we went straight to YouTube to take it all in. The last time we heard from him, it was with an upbeat jab at government surveillance. It was lighthearted, clever, and right up our alley.
The video for “21 Minutes” kicks off with Saint Nick the Lesser kneeling on the floor, surrounded by large poster boards, scribbling in silence. As the first rapid acoustic strums hit, he rises, and we’re locked in. His voice, as powerful and commanding as ever, leads us through a starkly different atmosphere than what we last heard from him. The tone shifts quickly, both visually and lyrically, and what initially plays like a day-in-the-life video pivots into something raw and heartbreaking. The moment the lyrics drop:
“I spent 21 minutes standing over my sink, bathroom door locked, hands open, palms up, a razor blade next to me - I’d had enough”
-we realized this wasn’t just another performance. It was a plunge into something deeply personal and unflinchingly honest.
The interlude gives us space to absorb the messages scrawled on the walls, encouraging, empowering phrases that attempt to counteract the heaviness. Meanwhile, the musical arrangement pushes forward with surprising energy, almost joyful in its pace, creating a contrast that’s somehow perfectly aligned with the song’s emotional weight.
Visually and emotionally, this is the most compelling music video we’ve seen in a very long time. And that’s not an exaggeration. Watching and re-watching intently, this one had us so completely immersed, we would’ve paid to see how it ends. As more people begin to enter the scene, they, with their own posterboards, taping up messages, but with ones that contradict the earlier hopeful ones, and the tension builds.
Then comes a fast, breathless litany of everything that led Saint Nick the Lesser to this dark moment. Self-blame, hurtful words from others, spiraling doubt. It's laid out with such intensity that it's impossible not to feel it in your chest. All the while, the band keeps that uptempo pulse going, adding a sense of forward movement to something that could have otherwise felt like being stuck in place.
When he delivers the climactic line,
“21 minutes over my sink,”
the entire emotional arc slams into you at once. It’s a breath-stealing moment that lands with full weight.
Knowing that this track stems from personal experience makes it even more devastating and more important. That someone with this much talent, presence, and success could carry such pain reminds us of how invisible these struggles can be. Someone close to us once said, "It’s not what you have, it’s what you carry that breaks you." That stayed with us. And it’s why this song from Saint Nick the Lesser hit so hard. It’s a unique piece of storytelling. But more than that, it’s a message. A lifeline. It changed something in us, and it will for others, too.
The world doesn’t need another catchy song just for the sake of noise. What it needs is honesty, artistry, and purpose. “21 Minutes” delivers all three. Pair that with the band’s airtight performance and Saint Nick the Lesser’s arresting vocal presence, and you’ve got the full package. This song stands tall among the flood of daily releases. It’s creative, affecting, and truly meaningful.
Major props to the production team. Ryan Jarvis, who handled production and engineering at Sivraj Studios, really helped shape the sonic texture of the track. Rob Maile, serving as co-producer, brought in a ton of dynamic highlights that gave the song even more emotional muscle. This is what happens when talent meets truth.
Don’t sleep on this one. “21 Minutes” by Saint Nick the Lesser is not just a song. It’s something more. Go watch the video, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.
Saint Nick the Lesser’s “21 Minutes” is a gut-wrenching triumph, fueled by passion, grit, and fearless authenticity
Saint Nick the Lesser began releasing music in early 2025 following the completion of a full-length album that was crafted over several years during the pandemic. Rooted in punk, ska, and anti-folk, his musical direction channels a rawness and authenticity that grabs your attention and doesn’t let go.
The sound he’s developed is a reflection of real life, messy, emotional, and defiantly honest, delivered with a sharp lyrical edge and unflinching vocal presence. Recorded at Sivraj Studios in North Hollywood, his sessions were guided by producer and engineer Ryan Jarvis and co-producer Rob Maile. Their collaborative contributions added layers of richness to the music. Together, they helped shape not just a sound, but a story. We can’t leave out studio dog Nimbus, whose presence added levity to intense sessions.
We're so excited to know and can’t wait to hear more from the incredibly powerful Saint Nick the Lesser!
Make sure to playlist, stream and share “21 Minutes” by Saint Nick the Lesser.
