Singer-songwriter Dru Chen wants to take us back to simpler times with his latest EP, Slower Life.
As you grow older, life gets busier and busier is a sentiment that we can all agree upon. Whether it is school, work or even just the pressures of everyday life, some days it gets a bit much that you wish for that simplicity and naivety that childhood once brought. Well, Dru Chen hopes to bring back some of that insouciance through his latest EP, Slower Life.
His third album, which he describes as “confident, comforting, and current,” develops on ideas founded initially from his 2021 predecessor, Slow Life presenting a more thorough and emotionally expressive vision. Through various artistes’ features, such as Shye, Rangga Jones, Gentle Bones, Charlie Lim and Calvert Tay, both parties created tracks that not only carry a melodious tune but also show a new artistic side to them. This album explores a medley of new sounds for Dru, exploring the genre of funky neo-soul through “Why Can’t I Help Me?” to a slower, more melodic R&B sound for the lead track “Mess in Me”.
We caught up with the singer in an interview with Men’s Folio, asking him about his creative process in making this album, working with his students and the differences he has seen throughout his years of being a part of Singapore’s music industry.
Hello Dru, how have you been since the last time you caught up with Men’s Folio?
I’ve been good! The last time we caught up, we had a Christmas-themed shoot which was so much fun! Since then, I’ve been very busy in the lab, making lots of music, getting involved in many fun projects and trying to get better at what I do through consistency and evolution.
Congratulations on your upcoming album, Slower Life. Does this album continue the narrative from your previous album, Slow Life?
Thank you! Yes, Slower Life continues the theme from Slow Life. As soon as we wrapped the album launch show at Esplanade Concert Hall in November 2021, I returned to the studio to create more material. We initially planned to do a deluxe version of Slow Life, but the inspiration kept flowing, and before we knew it, we had enough material for a whole ‘nother album! I really hope listeners can receive Slower Life as a complete cycle and concept from top to bottom, following the theme of capturing ‘aural photographs’ of memories in song.
Who/what were some of your inspirations when writing this new album, and can fans expect a new sound from this album?
Most definitely. We explored the R&B ballad for the first time with “Mess In Me” and a very energetic kind of indie pop with “I’ll Be Honest”. I looked to bands like The Beatles and The Police for inspiration. For instance, the main guitar lick in “Mess In Me” came from “In My Life”, which John Lennon wrote for The Beatles, and the guitar hook from “I’ll Be Honest” was inspired by The Police’s “Every Breath You Take.
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What were some challenges that you faced when creating this album?
It was sometimes difficult to coordinate schedules, especially with so many people involved. Sometimes deadlines and mixes were rushed as a result, but I don’t think that was necessarily a bad thing — pressure polishes the diamond, after all! “Show Me” featuring Calvert Tay turned out really well despite the fact that my vocal was rushed, and I only had time to do one take! Sometimes the immediate performance is most genuine, so it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Calvert is so wonderful to work with, by the way. I love his vocal ad-libs.
If you were to describe this new album in three words, what would they be?
Confident, comforting, and current.
Which lyrics that you wrote resonate most with you?
‘If you knew how easy life was coming at you; wouldn’t think twice about it would you now?’
I know picking favourites from all of your ‘babies’ is sacrilegious, but which track from your latest album are you most excited for fans to listen to and why?
“Mess In Me” because it’s my first true blue R&B ballad. It’s a new dimension to my sound, and I hope the listeners will all resonate with it!
You collaborated with your good friend Gentle Bones for your latest single titled ‘Connect the Dots.’ Were there any funny/memorable behind-the-scenes anecdotes when recording the song?
Gentle Bones, a.k.a Joel, came up with the children’s spoken word sample at the beginning of the song, and when I first heard it, I immediately felt it was so cinematic and evocative! It’s just so funny that it fits the cadence and timing of the song perfectly without any editing or stretching necessary.
Who would be your dream collaborator?
Historically, Lewis Taylor or D’Angelo, hand’s down. Currently, I’d love to get in a studio with the incredibly talented .brb or Phum Viphurit.
Since you teach music at Republic Polytechnic, what have your students taught you? And how was it working with your students for “Utopia Reimagined: If You Knew”?
Republic Poly students are really incredible at thinking on their feet and outside of the box, so they have taught me how to think of creative solutions for problems. Yes! We worked together with Foundation for the Arts and Social Enterprise to get our students involved in the Dolby Atmos mix. Republic Poly recently developed and launched their first ever Immersive Audio Suite, which is used for education and projects involving multi-channel, surround sound, spatial audio, and of course, Dolby Atmos. Our talented Diploma in Sonic Arts students Ku Zhi Ying, Zack Teo, Enzo E Chan, and Tan Yu Shan worked on the mix with me in the new facility, and it was so heartening to see their passion and creativity come through!
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Having been in the Singapore music scene for quite some time, how do you think the scene had changed from when you first started to where it is now?
It’s gotten so much more competitive and elevated in production standards and output quality! This is so inspiring, and I am constantly in awe every Friday when the new Singaporean releases drop because I get to hear music from emerging and established artistes alike, constantly developing their craft and evolving.
Which artist have you been listening to lately?
Remi Wolf’s “Photo ID” was a big track for me for quite some time — I love that crazy P-Funk meets Talking Heads energy. d4vd’s new record too!
Do you have any advice for upcoming musicians looking to start a career in this field?
Remain true to your purpose, and lead with your heart when you are writing and producing.
Listen to Dru Chen’s album, “Slower Life” here . Once you are done with this story, click here to catch up with our June/July 2023 issue.
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