by alex grainger
photo courtesy of chyld
CHYLD just released his latest single “Head Underwater” ft. Yung Sum on May 20th. The self-produced electronic indie-pop song is the embodiment of the true sound of CHYLD. “Head Underwater” dropped alongside the news of CHYLD’s upcoming EP entitled Be Patient, which drops June 10th. Read more about CHYLD, “Head Underwater,” and his EP Be Patient below!
How did you get your start in music and production?
CHYLD: “After high school when I started messing around with different producing and teaching myself, I started taking it more seriously, being heavily influenced by Flume and others.”
Can you tell us what “Head Underwater” is about?
CHYLD: “To me, this song is about drowning in a dark time and being saved by my soulmate, but I think it can be interpreted in a lot of ways like any song.”
What was the creative process behind your self-produced single?
CHYLD: “It started with the plucky piano you hear at the beginning that really inspired me. I wanted to keep it simple, but also wanted it to hit hard. I also remember hearing my melody of ‘feeling something underwater…’ in a very spur of the moment.”
Yung Sum is featured on “Head Underwater.” What was it like collaborating with him?
CHYLD: “It was really easy and exciting. I love so much of his work, so when he told me he loved the song we were both really inspired during that process.”
Is there a message you are sending to listeners in “Head Underwater?”
CHYLD: “I guess if there were to be a message, it would have to tie in with my upcoming EP, which is simply ‘Be Patient.’ Good things come with time.”
Do you have a favorite lyric in “Head Underwater” that is especially powerful or meaningful?
CHYLD: “‘Your love struck me like a lightning rod.’ Something about this also came out of me so easily, and I love when lyrics do that to me, and this one is so true about my current partner.”
How would you describe your sound? How has it developed since your first release in 2018?
CHYLD: “It’s friendly, fun, and very bubbly to me. It’s always had that vibe, but I think the sound has become minimized over the years. I think I’ve been having more fun with the process compared to my first release, especially with lyrics.”
Can you tell us about your EP entitled Be Patient? Is there a story you’re telling through the EP?
CHYLD: “It’s definitely about finding love, but it’s also about feeling content and finding balance. The theme of being patient could probably be interpreted a lot of different ways by a lot of people depending on their life story, but from my eyes being patient has been the hardest thing for me to do, but I’m seeing why it’s so important now.”
How did you decide to release “Head Underwater” as a single off your upcoming EP?
CHYLD: “I felt this was the strongest song that really represents what the CHYLD sound is. The whole EP was fun to make, but I really loved making this one.”
How is your EP Be Patient different from what you have previously released?
CHYLD: “I think it’s not only the most simplified version of me, but I feel like this is the most confident version of me. I also think it’s a bit more fun, a bit more diverse, there’s a little something for everybody.”