Swiss born, Portuguese & Angolan singer/songwriter RAÍZ has fused with London’s multicultural music scene to venture into his newfound territory of edgy bangers and millennial pop. The name RAÍZ stems from the Portuguese word ‘root’ and is a direct link to the deep cultural and musical references which inspire each song in the new EP ‘Saudade’. Saudade meaning: a longing for something that has been.
Carrying a similar striking falsetto as The Weeknd, inspired by Majid Jordan’s seductive melodies and incorporating Gashi’s 80’s electro-pop productions; RAÍZ has carefully handpicked his influences to release his new contagious and vibrant first single ‘Nightmare’. RAÍZ talks to us about the inspiration behind ‘Nightmare’, which dropped on September 30th.
“I think the overall theme of Nightmare is nostalgia, which is why I chose to bring it back to an 80’s vibe which I feel is safe to call fun, slightly wild and an era that strongly expresses individuality in people. This vibe is making a strong comeback, and i found inspiration in various albums that came out over lockdown. One that strikes bold is Gashi’s ‘1984’ electro pop album, and of course the Weeknd’s ‘After hours’. Both productions brought me back to a familiar place in my music, a comfort zone, a moment in time when my parents would play MJ and Whitney. Therefore nostalgia is deeply reflected in this song, as well as the future EP.”
“Quarantine also made me reflect, and dive deeper into a slightly darker retrospect of missing people and those that were once part of my life. Maybe the lyrics tell the story of a lost love, but for me the truth of the song lies in a deeper place of loss, especially over the period of lockdown. Being surrounded by four walls in North London, with news of tragic losses nearly every day, it was impossible to write something positive lyrically, so I decided to inject an uplifting vibe in the melody, which came to me first. When it came to telling a story, myself and my songwriting partner Syon painted a very cinematic picture of what this would look like, almost like a mood board. Then came the lyrics, then came the flow.”
Stream ‘Nightmare’ by RAÍZ on Spotify:
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