Ink to Spill kicks off their 2025 return with the release of South Side, a stirring new single and video that paints a deeply human portrait of a young girl’s resilience in the face of urban adversity.

Filmed on the streets of Chicago and starring Farrah Adams—daughter of Ink to Spill’s world-renowned percussionist Ernie Adams—the track tells the story of a pre-teen navigating the daily crossfire on her way to and from school, armed only with a box of crayons and the hope her art inspires in others.

At its heart, South Side is a testament to the power of imagination and community. The girl’s drawings become her escape, her emotional lifeline, and ultimately the thread that binds her classmates and teacher together. Through vivid storytelling and soul-stirring instrumentation, Ink to Spill sheds light on both the hardships and the hope that define life on the South Side of Chicago.

“We wanted to honor the strength and spirit of kids growing up in these environments,” says Bob Sauer, the band’s founder and lyricist. “Despite the violence, there’s beauty. There’s art. There’s a connection. That’s what South Side is about.”