Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with ONUR

Multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and producer ONUR is an emerging voice in the world of music. He’s redefining the R&B genre, combining yesterday’s dusty drums with sounds and samples from the future. Earlier this year, he continued to push the envelope with his debut EP, A Millennial Rhapsody. We caught up with ONUR to talk about the release and his new single.

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
ONUR: I guess you could say my mum discovered my passion for it or nurtured it rather! [laughs] I think I was about three or four when I knew music was going to be a big part of my life. It was always something I was drawn to. However, I didn’t act on my passion until I was about seventeen or eighteen.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
ONUR: Hmmm…that’s a good question. Musically speaking, probably Prince, D’Angelo, and Justin Timberlake. But if an object could talk, I would say my laptop. [laughs] I didn’t truly start to grow as an artist and develop my musicality and artistry until I started producing and experimenting with new sounds.

PC: Tell us about your new single, “What U Do.” What inspired the track?
ONUR: It’s a love song. At the time the song was started, I had just gone through a really big breakup, and I had one of those “didn’t know what I had until I lost it” type of moments. So lyrically, it all stemmed from that. I just wanted to highlight the power someone could have over somebody else.

PC: You also released the music video for “What U Do.” Can you walk us through the initial concept and the final product?
ONUR: The concept was all based around the song itself. I felt the song was quite simple in its message and structure, and that’s exactly what I tried to highlight in the video as well. The idea was for me to walk around London with my on-screen partner and just have a good time and then to highlight all the intimate and cute moments we had together. Just focus on all the good because that was exactly what the song was about. Once all the bad feelings subside, hopefully, you can remember someone for the good they gave you rather than the bad.

PC: You released your debut EP earlier this year. If you had to choose a song off A Millennial Rhapsody that best encompasses you as an artist, what would it be and why?
ONUR: Probably “Move Too Soon.” It’s just funky and a little bit cheeky. The chorus bangs hard. [laughs] The beat itself is sick, and I feel like it completely aligns with the lyrical content of the track too. I don’t know, I just really think it captures me the best if that makes sense. [laughs] Like if I had heard that song by someone else, I would’ve been like, “Damn! I wish I wrote that!”

PC: What does the rest of the year hold for you as we look ahead to the end of 2019 into 2020?
ONUR: 2019 has already been super nuts. [laughs] I’ve had a couple of gigs coming up with Sofar Sounds, and I’m pushing to finish a full EP for about four to five songs hopefully. So that’s what 2020 is going to be about! I’m really striving for everything to be as sick as I can make it, so yeah. I’ll just be in the dark for a month or two as I finalize everything.

Pop Culturalist Speed Rouund

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
ONUR: A plethora of obscure flamenco music! I don’t even know the names. It’s all in Spanish. [laughs]

PC: First album you bought?
ONUR: Alex Clare’s The Lateness Of The Hour. It’s an absolute classic. I don’t care what anyone says.

PC: First concert you attended?
ONUR: Jesus, I don’t even know. [laugh] Probably a classical music concert.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
ONUR: Weirdly enough, Unorthodox Jukebox by Bruno Mars. When I heard “Locked Out of Heaven,” it literally sounded like the perfect song to me. I remember just analyzing it so much, and from then on, I always approached music differently.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
ONUR: The O2 Arena

PC: A must-have on the road?
ONUR: A stable group of people around me.

To keep up with Onur, follow him on Facebook and Instagram. Pick up or stream “What U Do” on Amazon Music, iTunes, or Spotify.