1 2 WATCH: Sonn
Scottish-Malaysian artist Sonn refuses to be tied down to a genre or mood, delving through emotions as if they are books upon a shelf.
His latest single CAREFORME is a masterclass in emotional resonance. Lavish auto-tuned vocals serenade the dulcet instrumental that builds up to a spaced-out breakdown that is softly anthemic; drawing the listener into its hypnotic delicacy.
With a new EP on the way, I sat down with our latest 1 2 WATCH feature to chat about the understated and heart rendering new track, his musical outlook, and how he plans to stand out amongst the masses.
Who is influencing you lately?
Lately I have been really influenced by film - I like to make music with visuals as it helps me capture a feeling better, recently I have been watching a lot of Wong Kar Wai movies. I love the cinematography in his movies they feel so unique.
How has your diverse upbringing shaped your musical approach and outlook?
Growing up in Penang I have always been surrounded by a mix of cultures, that’s just how Malaysia is. People in Penang share each others cultures and traditions harmoniously and I feel like that has kept me quite open-minded which has affected my everyday life as well as my musical approach, I’m always trying to look for something new.
Talk me through the themes and ideas behind the new track?
CAREFORME was written at the start of the pandemic, I was just making the transition into doing vocals and sort of trying to find my sound. In the context of the EP, CAREFORME is the opening track, an introduction to this new world that I exist in. I wanted to make something that was very cinematic sounding, I always imagine CAREFORME as the song that opens up a set and pulls you into the experience. The song is about keeping positive in dark times and serves as a reminder to take care of myself.
I love your sound, such an interesting concoction of styles! How would you personally define it?
Thank you! I would describe my sound as nocturnal. I think that is the best way to describe it, my music sounds very nighttime and moody sort of like you are driving fast at night with the street lights flashing through the window.
How do you plan on standing out amongst a saturated scene?
It’s extremely difficult nowadays to stand out in the music scene as there are so many artists trying to make it. Ultimately you don’t have that much control over if you are going to pop or not, so I just have to trust myself and my vision and keep making music that I like.
What’s next for you?
I have my EP coming out soon which I am super excited for, this is a rebrand for me and is the start of something exciting and I can’t wait!