Some works of art are inspired by grief and loss; others are practically steeped in it. “Dog,” the latest song and video from Mol Sullivan, is an example of the latter.
Sullivan is a fixture of the Cincinnati music scene, though the last few years have found her working in Milwaukee with partner and collaborator Josh Evert. The backstory of “Dog” involves both Sullivan and Evert: In March 2025, while on a European tour with WHY?, Sullivan lost her mother. Weeks later, on the day of her mother’s funeral, Sullivan lost her Cincinnati home to a catastrophic fire. Inside the house were Sullivan’s dog Augie, and Evert’s dog Jackson. Paramedics successfully revived Augie, but were unable to save Jackson.
“Josh and I had been working on some recordings at his Milwaukee-based studio [Silver City Studios], and in the weeks following the fire we decided to pour ourselves into and release this song,” Sullivan says. “It was originally written about finding my dog in a time of need—specifically in the early, white-knuckling days of sobriety. It ended up being a super cathartic practice for us to channel our grief into something creative.”
The video for “Dog” takes things a step further. Shot by Evert, it’s set in Sullivan’s burned-out house.
“Since it was taken down to the studs, we got a couple of lights from the hardware store and were able to dramatically play with light and shadow,” she says. “It serves as a reminder of how I was only able to feel safe in having my darkness being witnessed by my dog in some of the lowest days of my life.”
“Dog” the song features Evert on piano; Stephen Patota on electric guitar and bass; Alessandro Corona on drums; Christopher Robinson on 12-string guitar; and Will Hansen on pedal steel. “Dog” the video premiered at the 2026 Milwaukee Film Festival. Watch it now:
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