ALBUM 'GLOOMY BOOGIE VOL. 2' COMING SOON
Photo Credit: Barnabas Chua
October 27th, 2023 – Multi-talented Singaporean singer Benjamin Kheng has released his highly-anticipated first single from 'GLOOMY BOOGIE Vol. 2', "Shared Trauma," featuring Australian artist Keenan Te. Listen here: benjaminkheng.lnk.to/sharedtrauma
"Shared Trauma" is the first single of 'GLOOMY BOOGIE Vol. 2', the final part of Benjamin Kheng's two-part album. The first part, Vol. 1, was unveiled earlier this year in August.
The song was written by both Benjamin Kheng and Keenan Te, and produced by Los Angeles-based rising producer, Rence. The mixing and mastering was done by two-time Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum engineer from New York City, Joe Grasso.
Accompanying the release of "Shared Trauma" is a music video directed by frequent collaborator Barnabas Chua of Murk & Marrows. The video features both Benjamin and Keenan in a retro living room set. The video maintains a cheeky and playful tone despite the song's heavier subject matter, keeping with the paradoxical “gloomy boogie” theme of the upcoming album.
Benjamin Kheng - "Shared Trauma ft. Keenan Te" (Official Music Video)
The inspiration behind "Shared Trauma" comes from the strong emotional bonding between individuals who have experienced similar trauma.
“I'm no licensed therapist, but as someone who started a relationship with good ol’ trauma bonding, I’d say please don't do that. It's much better as a song, though. That's what ‘Shared Trauma’ is about - there's something poetic about the feeling of mutual sinking and the polarity of finding new love through old wounds, which was fun to play up in the lyrics, as well as the music arrangement around a darker subject matter,” shares Benjamin.
Keenan Te, a versatile singer-songwriter from Australia and a friend of Benjamin's, shares his enthusiasm for the project: “Absolutely love working with Ben, not only is he a good friend but a great artist which makes working together so easy! The song is super fun and I am so proud of it.”
“Initial song drafts were straight-up ballads, but I wanted to mess it up with a messy bass line, which gave the song new life. Keenan was the perfect co-pilot for this, from writing all the way to having him on the track. His pocket of infectious melodies is unmatched, and he's such a giving performer and amazing human being,” shares Benjamin on working with Keenan.
About Benjamin Kheng
Benjamin Kheng is a Singaporean artist who has made a name for himself as a versatile musician. Making his debut into the music industry in 2012, he is best known as one of the founding members of the pop-rap music group The Sam Willows, performing globally in the Canadian Music Festival in Toronto, Singapore F1 Grand Prix 2013 and more. In 2019, he officially returned to music as a solo artist. Releasing his first single, "Wicked", "Find Me" and "Lovers Forever". He was also honoured several times during his career for his exceptional talent and contributions to the music industry, receiving the Youth Music Award for Best Male Artist in 2019 and most recently being nominated for an AWIT award in the Philippines for Best Global Collaboration for his track “Good For A Time” with Filipino artist Bea Lorenzo. Apart from being a household name in his home country, Kheng has gained recognition throughout the greater Asia region for his music, with the Philippines being his top streaming country followed by Taiwan and then Malaysia.
Stream "Shared Trauma" here: https://benjaminkheng.lnk.to/sharedtrauma
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