Nashville songwriter Cameron Hawthorn wishes he'd handled a past relationship differently in his new video, "To Break Hers." A Kansas native who describes himself as "a lovesick cowboy who writes songs and sings them," Hawthorn came out as gay in 2018. "To Break Hers" draws on his experiences prior to that turning point, yet the poignant message of knowing you can't love someone the way they deserve is likely relatable to any listener.

Take a look at "To Break Hers," then read our interview with Cameron Hawthorn below the player.

What do you remember most about the shoot for this video?

Shooting all of the scenes with the girl who played my girlfriend was the first time I had been that up-close and personal with a woman since coming out. It felt a little odd to be holding hands and being affectionate with her and reminded me that I'm really happy I'm now in a different place in life.

How does the video bring your song to life?

I wanted this video to be flashbacks of the relationship because when I sit down to play this song, that's exactly what happens in my mind. There are flickers of happy and sad moments along with the feeling of guilt I carried knowing the relationship wouldn't last. There are also moments of me trying to make it work. I wanted the video to have that honest, raw emotion because that's the song.

What message do you hope your fans take away from the video?

The whole process of this song, from writing it, to the production, to conceptualizing the video and shooting it, was like a big therapy session for me. This new chapter for me with my music and in life is all about being honest and transparent. I hope that will inspire others to live authentically and trust and follow their heart.

How did it feel to see the finished product for the first time?

Seeing my music videos for the first time (and even being on set filming them) is always magical. There's nothing quite like seeing an idea from my imagination come to life. Seeing this video was a little bittersweet as there is a lot of emotion tied to it. But as a piece of art, I knew the first time I saw it that we had captured that emotion, which was my mission.

Songwriters: Cameron Hawthorn & Lena Stone; Director: Quinton Cook