Q&A: SAINT LANE
GOLD COAST-BASED, FIJIAN KIWI RAPPER SAINT LANE HAS COLLABORATED WITH THE LIKES OF DANNY DUKE (LIZZO), MIKE MALCHICOFF (KIDS SEE GHOSTS) AND ANDREW DAWSON (KANYE WEST, TYLER THE CREATOR & CHILDISH GAMBINO) TO NAME A FEW, AND HAS AD RACKED UP OVER 1M STREAMS FOR HIS 2020 EP “IF I LEAVE YOU IN THE FIRE” ON SPOTIFY ALONE.
KNOWN FOR HIS INFECTIOUS BEATS, CAREFREE SOUND AND HIS CAPTIVATING STORYTELLING, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HE’S DELIVERED & MORE FOR HIS LATEST ENCAPSULATING EP “RAINBOWS END”.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR MUSICAL JOURNEY SO FAR FROM WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED SINGING AND MAKING MUSIC!
This answer could be turned into a 10 season television series but long, long, long story short my Granddad taught me how to play guitar when I was 5 years old. I wrote my first song at age 12 for my first band and we won a Battle of the Bands with that song despite being the youngest people competing. Moved to Australia for a rugby scholarship, started a new band, signed a distro deal with Interscope when I was 15 years old, and got kicked out of the band when I was 17. Started a hip-hop duo with one of my closest friends, we toured Australia and released 3 albums over a 5 year period. He moved to Europe. I went solo. Signed a deal with Ministry of Sound, released the biggest project of my life, played the biggest shows of my career. Pandemic hit. Got dropped by the label, all my shows cancelled. Now I’m here.
WOW WHAT A JOURNEY! CONGRATS ON YOUR LATEST EP ‘RAINBOWS END’! CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE THEMES YOU DELVE INTO IN THIS EP AND HOW YOU LANDED ON IT’S NAME?
I like that scene in American Psycho where everybody is comparing business cards. This EP is my new business card. It says “this is me, these are the kind of songs I can make” on a sonic charcuterie board. When I was growing up Rainbows End, the theme park in Auckland, was this magical place that seemed larger than life and when I went back as an adult I realised it was nothing like how my youthful brain stored it. I felt like it was the perfect metaphor for the music industry.
‘TOOTHBRUSH’ IS ONE OF OUR FAVE TRACKS OF YOURS! CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE MEANING OF THIS TRACK AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND IT?
I met an Uber driver who was stuck in a lease and lockdown with his ex-girlfriend who broke up with him because he smoked weed on their balcony the night they moved in so now he drives just to get out of the house. I really wanted to tell this bloke’s story.
ANOTHER TRACK WE LOVE FROM THIS EP IS ‘LOS PALMS’! WHAT’S THE CONCEPT OF THIS TRACK?
I legally shouldn’t disclose too much about the song but the song was originally intended to be on my debut EP ‘If I leave You In The Fire’ to go after ‘When Did We Grow Up?’, it’s essentially the sequel to that song.
WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR MAIN HIGHLIGHTS WORKING ON THE EP?
‘UPSIDE DOWN’ is my favourite song on the EP. Hearing that song come together was incredible.
WHO WOULD YOU SAY ARE YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATIONS IN MUSIC?
Tame Impala, Kanye West & John Mayer.
WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE NZ ARTISTS RIGHT NOW AND ARE THERE ANY SONGS IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU LOVE OR CONNECT WITH?
I love BENEE, I’ve been following her stuff since she was Bene. Tom Scott is one of my favourite rappers of all time. Scribe has a new record coming out that features some friends so I’m excited for that.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT NEW ZEALAND? DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVOURITE PLACES TO TRAVEL TO OR LOCAL SPOTS YOU LIKE TO VISIT?
I spent every summer growing up in the Bay of Islands and when I was back in May spent some time in Russell. Such a beautiful part of the world.
LASTLY, IF YOU COULD SAY ONE THING TO EVERY PERSON IN THE WORLD, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Don’t sign management contracts.
THANKS SAINT LANE! MAKE SURE YOU KEEP UP WITH HIM ON INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, SPOTIFY OR APPLE MUSIC.
