Oscar Key Sung’s music is a passion perfected through equal parts discipline and obsession, a sound that leaves you in a state of being consumed.
Fusing subtle melodies with a more throbbing and visceral soundscape, the tension between intimate moments, and the more impersonal, very danceable RnB and pop music fuelled moments are what make his style so palpable.
Oscar’s latest EP No Disguise made in Point Lonsdale and Mexico City, and then revisited while living in Berlin and Los Angeles, captures the potency of a state of being that is immersive and transient. Each song is like a container of feeling and experience, memory and time.
Since his debut EP, released back in 2013, Oscar’s career has been gathering motion in a gradual and constant accent. It was this release that was hand-picked by Mercury Music Prize-nominated MC Ghostpoet and Brooklyn-based artist MeLo-X for their MeloGhost project.
It’s something you can get lost in. Not to sound like a cliché, but it can be like a special escape or release from reality. From the tedium and the contradictions of daily living
Following the hype of his first release, the second, internationally-acclaimed EP Altruism, featured singles It’s Coming and Sure Thing that received national radio rotation in Australia and earned Oscar airtime from renowned tastemaker and BBC Radio 6 presenter Gilles Peterson. Oscar has toured festivals in Australia and the US, performing at South by South West as well as clubs throughout Europe, Japan, and the US.
The past year has seen him transpire as both a singer song writer and producer, moving into a realm where he feels as though he has fully come into himself. A sentiment that rings true in the lyricism of his latest track No Disguise where he sings.
Here, he shares a quick Q&A with The Sunday Times of Malta readers.
What are your earliest memories of music? When did you know that you wanted to become a musician?
My earliest memories of playing was on this little old organ at my grandmother’s house. It was one of those ones where you could play bass parts with your feet and get two different sounds at a time on the keys. I would play that thing all day, making up songs.
How do you describe your music?
I’d say it has a lot of feels.
What other artists are you drawn to?
Tom Yorke, Frank ocean, Bjork, Meitei.
Will this be your first time here?
Yes, and I’m very excited.
What can the audience expect?
A special production with lots of singing, emotions and dancing.
What is the biggest satisfaction/joy brought to you by music?
I feel it’s something you can get lost in. Not to sound like a cliché, but it can be like a special escape or release from reality. From the tedium and the contradictions of daily living.
What is next on the horizon?
After this I’m heading to New York to work on various projects. I have been working on music that I am really excited to share.
Oscar Key Sung performs at Rumors, Pietà, on Thursday. The event is organised by BeWyld Events. Tickets will be available at the door.