Qeeran – LIKE YOUR MAN | LoFi Contemporary Hip Hop

LIKE YOUR MAN from Qeeran opens ominously like the soundtrack to an 80s thriller movie. And then it transforms into a contemporary hip-hop song with a trap-inspired beat. The song has long breaks of inspiring instrumental, and lucid background vocals add another layer of production to the track.

Lyrically, the song is about the anxieties coming out of unclear relationships and complicated emotions. The protagonist is in flux, getting wasted and floating through the changes, as he tries to navigate his relationship with a romantic interest of his. The song chooses to make minimal use of the lyrics, which is why the auditory experience becomes the highlight. At the close of the song is an electric guitar riff that you might think is out of place with the electronic production. However, Qeeran is able to masterfully reign it into the rest of the song, and thereby end the Soul production with a different vibe altogether.

Qeeran is a Melbourne-based singer, songwriter, and producer with Malay roots. He specialized specifically in hip-hop and pop. His signature style is soft, mellow productions which adds his own spin to trap and RnB-inspired soundtracks. He has been a musician since he was only five years old, and today he can take full credit for writing and producing his own music.

In Conversation with Qeeran

The Inspiration

Ques. What inspired your song LIKE YOUR MAN?

Qeeran: ‘LIKE YOUR MAN’ was inspired by the atmospheric and catchy sound design that Danish producer Galimatias brought to the forefront with his EP ‘Urban Flora’. I loved how grabbing the vocal chops and strings were as well as the captivating voice of Alina Baraz – my biggest inspiration since that project.

Born to play

Ques. You moved to Australia when you were only a child, and you’ve been playing music since you were five. How was this transition?

Qeeran: The transition to the Australian lifestyle wasn’t too overwhelming from what I can remember, but I think the shock rested within the people around me within the first few years of primary school. As an Asian, I was among a very small minority in the school I was enrolled in which was found to be a little confusing for the kids we were back then and made me conscious of the fact that yes, I was ‘different, but indifferent in the sense that we were all there to learn, that I bled the same color blood as them and that I loved the country I live in just as much as them.

Finding his style

Ques. How did you get inclined towards the RnB and hip-hop styles? Who are some artists you credit with igniting this passion?

Qeeran: This ties back to Galimatias and Alina Baraz. Their collaboration together was my first real exposure to that uniformly ‘chill’ realm of music. It brought me the feeling of serenity which I had no idea music could do at the time. Ever since then, I focused my attention only to songs that brought me that same feeling, leading me to the discovery of artists like Frank Ocean, Sabrina Claudio, Jhené Aiko, and Mac Ayres – to name a few.

Note to the dreamers

Ques. What lead you to music production? What are some skills that you feel are useful to an inspiring or indie artist?

Qeeran: Before producing on my own, I was making an overload of covers of songs that I cherished, and at that point, I began to dream about the day I could sing my own lyrics and melodies. I started with ‘type beats but it all really felt disingenuous, so from that point on I spent my time and energy looking up music production tutorials, taking out old music theory books, and saving up for the equipment that I still use to this day! For indie artists just starting out, my only advice would be to make sure you’re making music because you genuinely love it – not because you dream to be famous or popular, but for the feeling of satisfaction and achievement it gives you. Make music on your own terms and longevity will come to you!

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Ques. What is your plan for your next release?

Qeeran: An album is on the books for the next big project, but as I did with my EP ‘The Cycle of Love’, I’ll be taking as much time as I need. That doesn’t mean 2022 will be quiet though!

Listen to Qeeran – LIKE YOUR MAN here: