Zelijah
takes a trip down memory lane on his new song
“17,”
out today via Sony Music Philippines.
Trading
verses with fellow hip-hop artist Ellis G on bossa-infused, lo-fi beats
and stripped-down guitars, the Filipino rapper/producer strikes a balance
between honing a music palette that distills the algorithm-driven sounds of
today and approaching the intersection of various music styles with a pop
flair.
According
to Zelijah, “17” was supposed to be a sad little tune about cherishing the best
years of our lives in a bubble, tucked away from the hassles of adult
responsibilities. “But the vibe it gave us when we were working on the song was
just purely nostalgic so we thought of writing the lyrics about the 2012 and
2017 era where both of us were 17 years old,” the multi-talented artist admits
in a statement. “Personally, this age bracket is where we worry less about the
world and only think about ourselves and all the mundane things— free from our
life problems.”
Zelijah
produced, mixed, and mastered the track alone in his home studio, reasserting
creative control over his art. The multi-hyphenate artist is used to doing
these by himself, having worked with several artists behind the scenes, from
big names such as Young JV and Jason Dy to record-breaking behemoths such as
Loonie and John Roa. “It was hard at first but then it just grows on you till
it becomes a normal thing to do,” he shares. “Personally, having control over
these sections makes the song more authentic to me. It also allows me to play
around with different techniques and approaches that other engineers wouldn’t
do.”
Zelijah
also expressed his gratitude to Ellis G for his contribution to “17.” For his
part, Ellis G freestyled on the mic with a given theme to explore, and dives
deeper into the fun side of nostalgia to capture the feeling of eternal youth.
“It’s always fun working with Ellis to be honest,” says Zelijah. “We both push
each other’s boundaries. We tend to one up each other but in a good way.
There’s no room for sugar coating and fake compliments between us. We prefer to
keep it blunt in everything we do for us to grow.”
Zelijah’s
“17”
is out now on all digital platforms worldwide via Sony Music Philippines. The
song will be part of the upcoming EP, ‘Press F to Drop Out’—to be released soon.
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