Q: “Make Me Know” is a really beautiful song and has a really beautiful sound! What inspired you to write it?
QEERAN: Thank you heaps! Totally agree (although I may be a little biased here). My intimate relationships have always begun in a way that was fast-paced and very ‘touch-and-go’. Probably a pretty toxic way of starting something looking back but that’s just the way it was and I wanted to write something that reflected this burning desire or lust at the very beginning of the ‘cycle’ of love. I was listening to a lot of Jhené Aiko and Sabrina Claudio and wanted to incorporate that powerful/ sensual sound they deliver so well, to which I later asked a high-school friend Calvin Tua (YO$HI MIT$U) to help bring this vision to life with a verse. He understood the assignment immediately and wrote with the most jaw dropping-type sensuality I’ve seen in a while, absolutely nailing his portion of the song. Won’t be the last time I work with him for sure.
Q: Were there any songs that didn’t make the cut for the EP?
QEERAN: Definitely, about 3 in total! I still love these songs and might release them at a later point (or save them for an album, wink!) but I came to the decision that they weren’t as fitting with the theme/vibe I was going for like the ones that ended up becoming a part of the project.
Q: What has the journey to putting out your EP been like?
QEERAN: It’s been a pretty long and gruelling journey to release. I went through months with no motivation towards the beginning of the EP’s production because I just couldn’t turn my ideas and feelings into a sound that I really loved. But skill came with time/patience and the more resources I became aware of (big shoutout to YouTube here), the more I was able to find a process that worked for me. I had planned on taking a break after the release of the EP to recoup and rest but I’ve never felt more motivated to keep working on more so I haven’t felt the need to stop writing/producing just yet.
Q: “The Cycle of Love” is an EP that explores love. What does love mean to you?
QEERAN: To me, ‘love’ extends beyond just feeling deep affection for another. I’ve learned through the making of the EP that it also encompasses the affection you feel with yourself. Treating yourself with dignity, love and respect forms a huge part of what true love really is – whether that be the way you gas yourself up when you look bomb as hell or the dates/adventures you take just yourself on, etc. The ability to show that deep affection to yourself will eventually dictate the way you show it to others
Q: “More Than Enough” is a really beautiful song. What was the process in writing it?
QEERAN: “More Than Enough” was born purely out of the current situation I was faced with at the time I started producing it. I was neck deep in a situationship and realised that I was falling for the person involved at a scarily fast speed. A question that constantly echoed around me was whether I was ‘enough’ for this person and if I was, why weren’t things being taken further? I really longed for a sense of security and the answers to these questions, having endless conversations to my friends about my frustrations on this. Conversations turned into lyrics and the rest was history. Alina Baraz and Frank Ocean were constantly playing at the time and I took a particular obsession with the way they switched up melodies and tempos within their music – hence the key/tempo change in the outro which I love. It was a perfect fit as it was symbolic of the fact that I was changing up so much of myself to get clarity on the situation and to appear appealing for this person.
Q: What has been the highlight of your music career so far?
QEERAN: Putting out this debut EP for sure. A year ago I honestly didn’t have the belief that I could finish the project due to a multitude of factors with the biggest one being the fact that I just didn’t know how to begin. I’ve learned so much along the way and now have a body of work I can proudly call my own and continue to base my learning/inspiration off from.
Interviewed by Shoshana Silow
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