October 2020 – Singapore – Off the back of her two most recent tantalising singles, Ramengvrl has made her most monumental announcement to date – her very first debut album ‘Can’t Speak English’ out 20th November 2020 via EMPIRE.
While Ramengvrl can clearly speak English, the album delivers a message that you can be whoever you want to be, you shouldn’t let societal pressures or your own insecurities get between you and your dreams.
About the release, Ramengvrl shares “I can’t wait to share this Album with my fans, it tells the full story of my journey. Where I come from, what I’ve been through, the Ls and the wins, my feelings, and a lot more. I’m super excited about it and for all my fans to get to know me a bit more, and I hope this album can also be something you guys hold on to, I believe everyone can relate to the stories I tell in this body of work. I am only in my first chapter as an Artist so this is just the beginning. The concept behind “Can’t Speak English” is – whatever you want to be, you can make it happen – embrace your identity and don’t worry about making mistakes. We all have moments of doubt, but don’t let that or other people tell you can’t achieve your dreams.”
The defining debut album addresses a core theme of identity throughout Ramengvrl’s story of perseverance and honest, real-life experiences that have transformed her into the person she is today. From 9-5 office worker and being raised in a conservative household, Ramengvrl has defied her critics, pushing through barriers and achieving her wildest dreams in an international arena.
Ramengvrl set the stage for ‘Can’t Speak English’ with her first single “Vaselina” featuring Dominican-American rapper euro, which talks about celebrating ourselves, no matter where you come from, the colour of your skin, what language you speak, she affirms we’re all equal and we all should be proud of our identities. “Look At Me Now”, featuring Korean-American rapper Ted Park, shows us that no matter what society says, if you believe in yourself and keep doing what you love, you’ll eventually get somewhere and those haters will have nothing to say. The releases have been heavily supported by Spotify, YouTube and Apple Music; including features on ‘New Era Asian Hip Hop’, ‘Beats & Rhymes’, ‘New Music Friday’ and ‘Pop Rising’ playlists among others.
The tracklist includes slithering and in your face bars, an array of talented features that add profound counter punches, as well as rich depth from each track. These elements culminate in striking new flavours and incredible versatility while also showing off a more vulnerable side from Ramengvrl. ‘Can’t Speak English’ sees her work with top producers, among them Grammy Nominated Roark Bailey (Summer Walker, Saweetie, Playboi Carti, Post Malone), Omega (Iggy Azalea, Chloe x Halle, Big Freedia), Swede of 808 Mafia (Lil Wayne, DJ Khaled, Meek Mill, Gucci Mane), Cassius Jay (Cardi B, Migos, Future, Justin Bieber), Max Ant (Warhol SS), SIHK (Rich Brian, NIKI), Joff Wood (88Glam’s Derek Wise) and frequent collaborators Gerald (Of Weird Genius) and Mardial.
In only a few short years since storming onto the scene, Ramengvrl has become one of South East Asia’s pre-eminent hip-hop figures. Building a steady following with releases such as “I’m Da Man”, “I Am Me” and “CA$HMERE”, she has picked up nods of support from VICE, NME, The Face, Ones To Watch and further cementing her status, she won her the nation’s top music accolade in 2019 (AMI Hip Hop Song Of The Year). Earlier this year, she announced that she had joined US based EMPIRE, home to some of the biggest players in Hip Hop, representing releases from the likes of Snoop Dogg, XXXTentacion, Migos, Tyga, T.I, Rich The Kid, Cookie Kawaii and Iggy Azalea. The queen of Indonesian Hip-Hop has ascended & her name is Ramengvrl.
