Orion Song Shares New EP Patience: Listen

Orion Song is a singer, songwriter from San Diego, CA. Originally writing acoustically off of a baritone ukulele, he has dived into the old and new world of Hip Hop and R&B and all of its relative sub-genres with healing intentions. Not conforming to one genre, he draws inspiration from Justin Timberlake, Nujabes, Craig David, and Usher. Last week, Orion Song released his first EP titled Patience. Learn more about how it all came together and listen to Patience below.

HR: What three words describe your new EP and why?
OS: Wide, Open, and Patient – I was very vulnerable and reflective while writing lyrics. Patrick’s production unlocked some of my free-spirit in the process and used a lot of grand and uplifting elements which you can definitely hear in my title track, “Electricity”.

HR: What was the most challenging part in creating this EP from start to finish?
OS: Writer’s block hit me hard, especially with the current events. But it was with this specific project where I learned to not force the creative process and to most importantly, not be so hard on myself when I knew I had to go back and change something, whether it was the entire song or just a verse – hence the name “Patience”.

HR: When did you know the EP was complete?
OS: After going through all the tracks, I felt like Patrick and I were really satisfied with all of the styles that were demonstrated. Everything as a whole sounded diverse and eclectic, but still very coherent.

HR: What kind of ‘sound’ did you have in the back of your mind, prior to entering the studio?
OS: All I knew was that I wanted to make something that’s pleasant to the ear and relatable – Maybe even something that the listener didn’t even know they wanted to hear until they heard it. On the musicality side of things, I knew that I was going to get those nice jazz chords and pretty riffs from Patrick’s end. Additionally, I was prepared to mold my voice with different timbres and energies.

HR: Considering this is your first EP what did you do differently compared to your previous projects?
OS: I felt very motivated to reshape my sound and image. A lot of my past projects were kinda just me experimenting; going through an identity crisis as an artist and as a person. Starting this EP, I really felt like I figured out what the hell I was doing and knew that my music was going to sound so much better than what I created in the past. The difference is significant.

HR: What are your favourite songs and lyrical highlights and why?
OS: My favorites are “Electricity” and “Roll With It”. I felt like these 2 songs are the ones I’m most proud of and I had a blast collaborating with more of my friends (you all know who you are). To highlight some lyrics, I can truly say that I’ve never been more blunt in any of my writes that I was in Verse 2 of “Roll With It”. I was super straight-forward and not afraid to be very “anti-negative” with my words.

HR: What overall theme / mood were you trying to capture while writing for this EP?
OS: With R&B, you get “chill” sounds. I always felt that R&B was very easy to listen to and I just hoped that everyone would be willing to listen to this R&B-based EP when they’re simply kicking back and relaxing or whatever. Also, I’d like to say that the two of us did a good job with keeping the energy and momentum going throughout the EP despite the mellow vibes.

HR: Are there any ‘crazy’ behind the scenes stories you can share with us?
OS: I don’t have any stories that are too crazy, but what might seem crazy is that “Electricity” is really just me being high on life, personifying nature. It’s not about love or romance or any of that. Patrick and our other friend Dylan Dagdag sent me a stripped down draft of the instrumental while I was visiting my mom in Hawaii and I just began to write about how the scenery made me feel.

HR: Why this EP and why now?
OS: My friends would jokingly ask “When’s the album dropping? I want more.” And it kinda hit me in a way where I was like huh…good question. I felt that it was about time that I put out an EP. After I wrote “Electricity”, I didn’t want to settle for one track. I knew I wanted to continue to make more songs with Patrick and take my career a lot more seriously.

HR: Now that the EP is out, what’s next?
OS: You can expect some more singles that I’m so excited to release. More collaborations. Instrumental beats. Acoustic songs. Oh, and more UKULELE. Also, keep an eye out for those Patrick Hizon solo projects. *cough*

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LISTEN TO PATIENCE BY ORION SONG