Rich Brian is a young rapper taking on the world. His latest album, The Sailor, just released, and he sat down with us to talk about his goals and successes ahead of his upcoming Australian tour.
It hasn’t been long since Rich Brian was just an unknown kid from Jakarta. Now, he’s travelling the world, sharing music, and living his dream of being a rap artist.
Brian’s new album, The Sailor, is a collision of sea change and motion sickness. It’s a high-concept message to his fans all over the world, a reminder that anything is possible, and that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things.
Brian sat down with us ahead of his Australian tour to talk about his experiences in music and life.
Check out ‘Yellow’ by Rich Brian:
Performing, Brian said, is a learned skill and one he’s become much better at over time. “I remember the first time I performed, I had no idea what I was doing […]” he said, “[…] I’ve seen a lot of different crowds now. I’ve learned a lot about crowd control […]”.
We asked Brian what he enjoyed most about being on stage, and he spoke about the sense of energy and purpose he feels in the concert atmosphere: “What I think I enjoy most about performing is definitely seeing how happy everybody is. And being the reason of that happiness […]”.
A lot of Brian’s evolution as an artist has to do with the life experience he’s gained since making the big move to America. He spoke about his new understanding of the “grey areas in life” and the ways his perspective on things has changed.
“The writing on this album is a lot more vivid,” he said. “I realised that I can talk about really anything […] I’m definitely trying to make things a lot more vivid and focusing a lot less on the flow, but more on the actual stuff that I’m saying”.
Check out ‘Kids’ by Rich Brian:
New album The Sailor, Brian said, is a metaphor for himself and his personal growth as he’s chased his dreams. “The Sailor’s somebody who’s not afraid to explore unchartered territories […] I know that my experience was crazy, but at the same time, I know that I’m not the only one who’s been through that.”
A stand-out line from one of the new featured songs, ‘Kids’, is “That everyone can make it, don’t matter where you from”. We asked Brian what that idea meant to him. “It’s really easy for you to think that you’re a nobody,” he said.
He remembered the role of watching a Tyler, The Creator video in helping him understand that everyday people can achieve amazing things.
“That night, I started writing down new year’s resolutions and […] goals. […] I remember how much that night helped me. On the song, I really wanted to make sure I inspire other people and give that same feeling for other people.”
Brian’s career is thriving, but his goals are simple: he wants to make art that is new, exciting, and unlike anything fans have ever heard before. Being unique, Brian said, is important to everything he creates.
Check out ‘Vacant’ by Rich Brian:
Beyond the album, Brian’s latest success is Spotify’s ‘The Sailor Experience’ in Jakarta, which will run for three days and will include photos, audio, and quotes from the making of the album. “It’s basically a living embodiment of The Sailor,” said Brian. “I’m really excited about it.”
For now, Brian’s focus is his upcoming Aussie tour. We asked what he loved about Australian fans.
“They’re definitely very beautiful people,” he said. “[Doing a show] in Australia is like going to a place where you’re all my friends.” He noted that Aussie fans have a deeper understanding of who he is as an artist.
Brian is excited for his new shows, saying that they’ll be longer and more hands on than they were when he toured here in 2018: “I really want to have an experience.” Brian emphasised a focus on the perception aspect of his performances and on how important his involvement is in creating an something incredible.
There’s plenty more to come for Rich Brian. For this young rap star, today is just the beginning.
Check out Rich Brian’s The Sailor:
Rich Brian Australian Tour 2019
Thursday August 29th
Metro City, Perth, WA
Friday August 30th
Festival Hall, Melbourne, VIC
Saturday August 31st
Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, NSW
Wednesday September 4th
Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane, QLD
Tickets on sale now through Live Nation
