Interview: Col3trane On Being Compared To Frank Ocean, His EP 'Heroine', & How Kobe Bryant's Death Affected Him
On a hot summer day in Auckland City, muffled music coming from the street over at the Laneway Festival in Albert Park mixes in with the sounds of cars rushing past and the clinging & clanging of dishes in the Pullman hotel lobby. Col3trane, sitting across from me with blacked-out shades and a flowery black and white silk button-up, is in a jet-lagged but chilled mood, having only performed his Laneway set 2 hours beforehand. An American-Egyptian hailing from London, England, Col3trane has known since a kid that music is his calling. Col3trane’s music cannot be limited to just one or two genres as there are no boundaries to the art he makes. One thing is for sure though, is that he loves R&B and you can hear that in the music he hones.
Since his hit song Penelope took off in 2017, Col3trane has travelled the world and even went on tour with Dua Lipa and Vic Mensa in 2018. It marks only the beginning of his musical career. Col3trane’s unique modern sound is incredibly underrated but he has been dubbed by many as an artist to watch out for. His latest release, the EP Heroine has garnered over 10 million streams and it was only released last year. Tired from the heat of the Auckland summer day, Col3trane who is so kind and such a cool guy to chat to, sits down with us to discuss everything Col3trane. In our conversation, we chat about his thoughts on Laneway, Kobe Bryant, his EP Heroine, his thoughts on being compared to Frank Ocean, what music he’s liking at the moment and thoughts on releasing an album this year!
So, I caught your set at Laneway
Oh, sick!
I really loved how you hyped the crowd, you did such a stand-up job
(smiles) thank you, thank you
Was it your first time performing here in New Zealand?
Yeah
Yeah, it is? What did you think of the crowd?
They were amazing. Uhh, I really like, I did not expect that there was gonna be that many people
Really?
At all. I didn’t think anyone would even give a fuck. I didn’t know that anyone really listened to me over here.
Really? Wow
I didn’t think so at all. So, nah it was really dope. Also cause it was just mad early so like, I was a bit like oh fuck no one’s gonna show up but then loads of people did and it was a vibe and everyone was just feeling the vibes. It was just fucking hot as shit.
Yeah, it is boiling.
It was fun though, it was good.
Yeah I know you were trying to get your set changed, were you disappointed that didn’t end up happening?
Yeah nah I knew they weren’t actually gonna do it but I thought if I make some noise that they might like, do something. Like all this shit is planned so far in advance that no ones gonna do shit but I thought that maybe some people would see that comment and be like “oh shit, let’s go catch this guy”.
Yeah (laughs) fair enough. They did come through for you so,
They did
That was mean. So, on the stage you were talking about Kobe Bryant, what was your reaction when the news came out today?
Uhhhhh, man… Like (thinks for a bit). I- I don’t even know man it’s crazy. I cried like a child like I haven’t felt like that for a bit of time. Um, yeah, it’s been a bit of a mad day. I could talk about him the whole time, you know what I mean? Above all, he was just like- I’d never met him obviously but he was such an amazing… (takes a deep breath) an amazing human being and obviously an amazing basketball player but so much more than that and like, the circumstances of it all and just the whole timing of it just like really hit me. He had such a profound effect on so many people, including myself and I didn’t really realize until… today how much of an effect he had on me so. And I think for so many of like my friends and like, whoever… He just personifies like, what it means to be great at something, what it means to work hard and achieve. He’s just an inspiring person. So, yeah. That shit fucking hurt.
Yeah, it’s devastating. Especially ‘cause his daughter passed too.
Yeah, so fucking sad.
Back to your music. How would you describe your style of sound?
Ummmm… I don’t know. I guess I sing and make shit. I wanna make people feel shit, you know?
I saw on Instagram that you love storytelling. What’s your favourite song you’ve written and what is it about?
Oh, that’s a good question. I don’t know probably like Penelope. So many people relate to it for so many different reasons. It’s one of those songs that’s almost about everything but also about nothing. I love stories and that’s me taking a story that’s not mine- well, I mean, me taking a story that I didn’t make up and making it my own and putting it into my perspective and into my voice. So yeah, Penelope.
That is a good song.
Thank you.
Have you like always enjoyed writing songs, like how did that come about?
Ummm, well, when I was a kid I think I like just enjoyed listening to music and was like “oh I wanna do that” (laughs), just like everyone does. Then you like try to write songs and they suck and thennnnn you try again cause you love it and then they still suck so then you try again and then someone says “oh that’s actually aight”. And then you do it more and then someone says “oh that’s actually pretty good” and then they start telling you that it’s trash again but I just kept doing it because I just love music. So you know, like every kid growing up, boys were just like “what do you play, football, do you play basketball..” I love sports but I sorta sucked. Music was just something that you know, I guess it was like my calling.
So what was life like for you growing up in London as an American-Egyptian? You have quite a diverse cultural background and I think that’s really interesting.
It’s cool man. I always tell people that I felt like I grew up in London in an American household. So like, everything, like, you know, just little things like traditional American things that we would always do. Like Thanksgiving and shit like that, it’s a big deal for us, me and my family. I couldn’t ever really put my finger on it but I always would kinda.. You know, just like how everyone is, like everyone’s family is like whatever cultural background that they’re from, there’s always those little idiosyncrasies, those little things that are different about everyone’s families but it’s cool man. There was like lots of different music in the house, lots of different like.. I just got exposed to loads of different shit, was around different shit. London is a mad place. Being in London was cool. Yeah man, I don’t know. It was dope.
That sounds cool. So last year you released an EP last year called Heroine. The songs in it are beautifully written and it has crazy beats.
Aw, thank you
Just from listening to it, how I perceive it is that this EP is about you know, your relationships with women hence heroine (Col3trane: yeah) but it also seems to be about drugs and sobriety as well (Col3trane: yeah, yeah!) What inspired the meaning behind your EP?
Yeah, I mean you know, fuck it, it won’t be a shock to anyone if I say “oh I fucking do drugs sometimes”, everyone does drugs. But like, that EP was really just about more than drugs, more than girls, more than anything like that. It’s more about.. I don’t know. I kinda tried to, tried to make it about salvation and what it is to be like, saved, you know what I’m saying like? How that feeling of being totally safe and saved by whatever the fuck it is, whether it be drugs, whether it be girls, whether it be whatever the fuck it is. Uhhhh, and being lost as well and feeling like there’s no place to be saved… and then being found and feeling like, you know, salvation isn’t really for you and then actually feeling all shit like, this might be that feeling. I’m not a particularly religious person at all so I don’t really believe that’s gonna happen to me in the afterlife but yeah, it might. Who knows… Yeah, I don’t do heroin. People always ask me that like, “oh are you using heroin” like I definitely am not. That shit is waste.
I’m sure if you did you wouldn’t make it that obvious (laughs)
I definitely wouldn’t be in New Zealand fucking like doing shows and shit.
Exactly. So Penelope was the song that really took off. Can you talk about how your life has been since its release?
Fucking mad ting. My life has been cool, it’s been- am I allowed to swear? I’ve been swearing bad
Yeah, yeah, of course, I’ll write all the swear words down (laughs)
(laughs) fucking, I mean it’s been like, you know, in some aspects, everything I’ve ever dreamed of. Like obviously not the whole time. Sometimes it fucking sucks but you know, everyone’s life sucks sometimes. But it has been sick and do you know what? I’m actually just glad that that song was the one that like, you know, helped me.. You know what I’m saying?
The song that uplifted...
Yeah, yeah, exactly. I’m glad it was that song cause that song was just like… it’s me… d’you know what I mean? Just so… like, introspective and like, me. And also it’s like, not the particularly traditional song like in terms of the sounds and the structure and the whole lot. So I’m glad that’s the song people fuck with the most. Well, at this point. I got some cool shit coming out.
That’s mean.
It’s lit.
So, do you ever feel like quite a bit of pressure from the job, like a lot of expectations? I imagine there would be.
Yeah, defo. It’s weird man like, it’s like sometimes you get the thing of like.. It’s just the thing like sometimes musicians and whatever talk all high and mighty like their problems are like, somehow more amplified than other peoples problems but I feel like everyone’s problems are just the same. They’re just a little bit different because people don’t… there’s just kinda like this exclusivity thing behind like artists in music and it’s like you don’t know- like not you but-
(laughs) yeah
But the public don’t know everything because it’s like.. It kinda ruins it.
True that.
You get what I’m saying like?
Yeah, the perception.
If I like fucking post on my Instagram every day like what I was doing, it would ruin it. It would be like..
It would take away from the mystery.
Yeah, d’you know what I mean. But for sure, there’s definitely pressure but I think.. I’m the kinda person, well, I do well under pressure.
Well, that’s a good thing especially for this job
Yeah (laughs)
So your music gets compared to Frank Ocean a lot and you know, people say you guys are in the same stylistic realm. Are you at all a fan of his music?
Yeah, for sure. For sure! I mean I haven’t heard it in like… when Channel Orange came out - amazing, blew me away. I haven’t listened to much of his new stuff. I mean, I have in passing but not really and no disrespect whatsoever, I just haven’t like gotten into it. I mean I see the comparison, I get the comparison all the time, I see it. It used to really piss me off cause I’d be like man, people are just being lazy. I used to think people were comparing it just because like, they couldn’t be fucked to really like listen to it. That pissed me off cause it’s like I spent so much fucking time on this music, listen to it for what it is. But then I realized that’s bullshit because I compare shit all the time, I compare people’s music all the time cause it makes the listener, like, more comfortable with what they’re listening to, being able to feel like they understand it. D’you get what I’m saying? (I encouragingly nod). So, I don’t mind it at all. It’s actually like, an honour. He’s sick.
Well, that’s good growth right there.
YEAH, I used to fucking- oh my days, it used to piss me off so much. Cause articles would come out and they’d be like “oh, Frank Ocean, oh, Frank Ocean” like bro no one even- like yeah, I hear it and thank- like that’s nice and great but like, bro, like, listen.
Like, you have your own identity
Yeah but I totally totally totally get it
So, who would you like love to collaborate with?
Uhhhhhmmmm..
Or would just want to collaborate with
What did you say, who do I WANT to collaborate with?
Yeah, want or love or maybe even a little bit
Yeah, nah, a lot of people. I mean, there’s a lot of amazing, like, new R&B coming out. I love Lucky Daye, I think his record’s amazing. Halsey, obviously amazing, her album is amazing. Um, who else is there.. Ella Mai’s dope. I feel like Usher is about to do some crazy shit. I’m a huge fan of Usher. I really like that new song he’s got out with Ella Mai, that shit is crazy. H.E.R. is amazing. I’m just loving the fact that people are making R&B again and it’s like… don’t take this the wrong way but it’s like… cool again. Like R&B was corny as fuck for awhile and looking back at it, it’s like, it’s cool.
Like the Nelly era of R&B?
Yeah but like Nelly is so fucking cool! But like at the time, I don’t know, I was only like a yout when that shit was happening but I don’t really know how to describe it but not tryna hate on no one. People been making some dope R&B music at the moment like I’m so here for it.
So what are your hopes for this year, what would you like to achieve in 2020?
Ummmm, I’m gonna make an album. Yeah, probably an album. I’m putting out an EP soon. One more EP which is like- which I’m mad excited for cause it’s a bit different but different in- (starts to spread out on the couch he’s sitting on) I’m getting so comfortable right now
(laughs) just lie down man.
(laughs) This jetlag is fucking killing me. Uhh putting out an EP soon that is really different that I’m really excited for… that I really hope people like. Then I’m just kinda working through the summer making an album then drop this album and then seeing what happens, doing some writing, writing with some people, writing for some people. Been really enjoying doing that. Ummm, yeah man. Just.. I’m in a pretty good like headspace at the moment.
That’s awesome! I know you’re gonna have a really exciting year.
Thank you so much, appreciate it.
So, what’s the inspiration behind your merch collection Heroine Kills, except for of course your album- your EP I mean.
That was me and Drama Call, my guy Charlie who runs Drama Call. That’s my brother from like years. He started Drama Call round the same time I started like really taking music seriously. And you know, we was both- I was like in school and he was like coming out of school being like “man fuck this shit let’s just do what we wanna do” and we did it and then now we’re blessed to both be in the position where we’re able to work with each other. He had a collection called Beverly Kills that was amazing, really amazing and people really loved it. And then Heroine Kills just made so much sense and people really loved it.
Is your friendships something that you value a lot?
Oh one hundred percent. One hundred percent.
Well, I’ll let you get on with your day. Thank you so much for your time Col3trane.
Interview: Breanna Tugaga-Rogers
About The Writer:
Breanna is a 21 year old uni student who was born in Australia and raised in South Auckland. Half New Zealand European and half Samoan, Breanna is undergoing a Bachelor of Arts, double-majoring in Communications and Sociology. Currently residing in Auckland, Breanna loves hip hop, rap, RnB music and enjoys watching TV shows, movies, travelling, going to concerts and keeping in touch with the latest of pop culture. Breanna especially enjoys writing and using it as an outlet to talk her sh*t. Breanna loves to always integrate her worldview, her background and her experiences into her writing and values your feedback.