Singapore’s own KRCKZ is shaking up the music scene with his new single, “Wait For Me”. We speak to the producer-DJ-songwriter to find out more.
In a nutshell, tell us about your venture into music production, DJ-ing and songwriting.
Music has always been a huge part of my life. I used to save up my allowance as a kid to feed my obsession with buying CDs. It was only when I studied Music and Audio Technology in Singapore Polytechnic back in 2011 that I started venturing into music production. I went into the course with close to zero knowledge of making music. With the help and guidance of the people around me, I learned to produce and write songs based on what I liked as a listener. Since I was doing electronic music, I thought DJing was the perfect instrument! Luckily, the school had a DJ club and I picked up DJing under the tutelage of DJ Rattle and the rest of the community.
Who/what inspired the track “Wait For Me”?
I wrote “Wait For Me” quite some time back while I was still serving the army. I’ve always gotten my inspiration based on the place or situation I’m in. I felt “trapped” during that period because I found it difficult to make music with the commitments I had in camp. I guess those were the lyrics that made sense to me then. The original draft of the track sounds very different from what it is now; it’s a little darker and slower. I think I eventually grew out of it and decided to re-arrange the whole track.
You’ve worked with Sxuyi aka Esther Soh on previous tracks before. Was she the natural choice for this song, and why?
I got to know Sxuyi while we were studying. She was my schoolmate! The first track I did with her was a dubstep track called “Take Me” back in 2013. She is so easy to work with. We went on to work on a few more tracks together after that. I guess she’s one of those people who can effectively bring out what I have in mind from lyrics to a song. After writing the lyrics for “Wait For Me” based on the original draft, I sent it straight to her because I personally felt that her voice could carry the emotions well.
For your next collaboration, who would you like to work with and why?
I’ve always loved what collaborations could bring to the table and I’d love to work with Disco Hue, they’re killing it with the electronic pop/funk vibes. I think we could come up with some pretty interesting results. I would also want to work with Gentle Bones; man, that guy is sick. I really like his style of songwriting. Having a track with Perk Pietrek would be dope. His grooves and rhythm are crazy creative. It’ll definitely be sweet to work with Myrne as well, that guy has the freshest sounds. I think he is very talented too. There are so many more artists out there that I would love to collaborate with. I reckon it’ll be too long to list them all.
With a number of Singaporean artists intent on making it big, what sets you apart from the rest of the crowd?
I guess it’s the swag. Nah, I’m just kidding. I always try to be versatile and not restrict myself when writing and producing, so the songs that I make tend to have different vibes from each other, and yet, would maintain a signature sound in them that people could recognize. At the end of the day, I think the world needs more music. As long as everyone continues to support one another, Singapore music could go far. Especially now, when the local music scene is really picking up.
What else can we expect on your upcoming EP, Restart, and for 2017?
I’m very excited about the release! The next single from the EP, titled “Psycho Twin”, is coming out at the end of this month! It’s a rap/trap song that features rapper Kwizyne with a trippy video that comes along with it. The entire EP will be out next month and it will consist of a diverse range of sounds. Every track in the album is going to be an unique experience. You can also expect more music in 2017. The first track I’ll drop early next year features UK rapper Upbeat Cynic, whom I’ve had the pleasure to meet while I was in Hong Kong; so look out for that as well!
Keep up with KRCKZ by following him on Facebook and SoundCloud.
This interview with KRCKZ has been edited and condensed.
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