We caught up with Melbourne-based artist Qeeran ahead of his latest release ‘More Than Enough’. He’s an artist to watch this summer 2020!
Tell us about yourself?
Hey! I’m Qeeran – a Malaysian-born, Melbourne-based singer, songwriter and producer. I’m as independent as independent gets – I do absolutely everything myself from the nuts and bolts of producing to self-timed photoshoots and photoshop sessions carving out my image visually.
As divine as being represented sounds, I definitely take pride in and cherish having 100% control over my craft and doing whatever feels natural to me, and most importantly, whenever I want. I welcomed Melbourne as my home when I was five and have been around music since my earliest memories.
Throughout my schooling years, I was always around it and constantly taking up opportunities to sing and perform, even risking my final-year score in high school taking up music performance as a subject and delivering all that I had in me musically to a panel of assessors – scary stuff!
What is your songwriting process?
My tracks are very much experience-based and almost reflective in a sense, so I allow myself to travel back in time mostly through digging up photos or texts from people that have impacted my life in one way or another.
I’ll let myself feel whatever I need to feel from doing so and bolt with it. The writing almost comes naturally after that – I’ll brain (or heart) dump whatever feelings I’ve brewed up into words regardless of whether it makes sense and play a game of connect-the-dots.
Tell us about your latest release?
It’s been a relatively long time coming for my track ‘More Than Enough’ – I spent slightly over three months producing the song and have never been prouder of a project.
Definitely a strong prelude to my debut EP which I am yet to finish. I started the track during a time of uncertainty, not only with the looming COVID-19 mess but I was emotionally caught up with someone who I just could not get a goddamn read on – did they like the way I talked to them? Was I too wordy with my texts? Was the selfie I posted worthy enough for them? Was I just in a general sense, ‘more than enough’ for them?
The track became an outlet for these questions and the subsequent storm of emotions I had fluttering around. I was heavily influenced by dvsn and of notable mention, Alina Baraz on this project – who I listen to and love religiously.
The switch-up you hear towards the end definitely pays homage to her and symbolically represents me literally changing everything up for this person and then asking again, am I more than enough for you now?
What message do you think your music conveys to your fans?
‘Fans’ is a strong word, but I’d like to think that my music is telling of how I am on a personal level to my listeners – fragile, but constantly keen to give attention and love and simultaneously hungry for it back.
Who are your musical influences?
Definitely songstress Alina Baraz first and foremost. Artists like SG Lewis, dvsn, Clairo and ELIO have also played an enormous role in helping me find that nostalgic and intensely emotive type of sound I have in ‘More Than Enough’ and enjoy in general.
Who are your non-musical influences?
Not a ‘who’, but VHS and 8mm film. There is something so magical about how they capture life as we know it and make the present seem so oddly nostalgic. Beautiful stuff.
What’s the best gig that you have ever played?
I am yet to play a gig! Here’s to hoping my answer changes in the near future.
What do you think are the biggest obstacles for bands/artists today?
Probably overcoming the relentless fear of not feeling ‘enough’ for their craft or industry. The swift rise of technology and the internet as we know it has allowed for the exponential growth in numbers of artists presenting their craft to the world at any given time.
With this though, comes serious competition and a tsunami-worth of rejections and/or seeming ‘failure’ – the perfect recipe for burn out and feeling unmotivated to continue their craft.
What advice would you give to other bands/artists starting out?
Remain humble and do it for your love of music and nothing else. Don’t swim in those gnarly statistics like streaming numbers and everything else related.
Focusing your energy on creating music because you genuinely enjoy it will completely alter how you approach your projects and how motivated you are to persevere.
What are your hopes for the next two years?
Firstly to hopefully play that gig I was talking about a few questions ago and to finish my EP before it eats me away completely!
FV Music Blog August 2020
https://www.facebook.com/iamqeeran
https://www.instagram.com/iamqeeran
Twitter: @iamqeeran
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