November 13th, 2020 – Singapore – Hot on the heels of her recent explosive singles “Vaselina” and “Look At Me Now”, Ramengvrl drops her fiery persona, showing her vulnerable side on “The Emo Song”. This will be the final single leading up to the release of her debut album ‘Can’t Speak English’ out 20th November 2020 via EMPIRE.
“The Emo Song” provides a peek behind the curtain, showcasing another side of Ramengvrl’s talents. Leaving behind the glamour of show business, Ramengvrl takes the listener on an intimate journey through her hidden battles, continuing her honest narrative at the heart of her previous two singles. On “Vaselina”, she proudly preached acceptance, and on “Look At Me Now”, she empowered listeners with her determination. Now, Ramengvrl continues to speak her truth, revealing her personal trials and tribulations on “The Emo Song”.
Of the track, Ramengvrl shares, “People see me as this like rapper who’s always confident and in-your-face, when in fact there’s a lot going on behind it. This song is not about me being sad—this song IS me. It’s another side of me that’s real, as real as the Ramen you see in “Vaselina” or “Look At Me Now”. I wanna show my fans that behind all the bravado and the “swagger”, I do have my own insecurities sometimes. And I hope with this song my fans will also get the message that it’s OKAY to be vulnerable, it’s OKAY to not be okay, we can’t be jolly all the time. Acknowledge it as part of yourself coz that’s what being human is all about.”
The track is built upon grungey, Nirvana-esque guitar riffs that swell with poignancy and captivating rawness, while Ramengvrl’s honest lyricism is a beacon for those who feel isolated – a reminder that you aren’t alone in your loneliness.
“The Emo Song” was produced by her frequent collaborator, fellow Indonesian DJ / Music Producer, SIHK who holds previous credits for US rapper Trippy Tha Kid and 88 Rising Artists’ Rich Brian and NIKI.
About her forthcoming album, 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.”
While Ramengvrl can clearly speak English, the album ‘Can’t Speak English’ 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. 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, Migos, Tyga, T.I, Iggy Azalea and more.
The Queen of Indonesian Hip-Hop has been ascended and her name is Ramengvrl.
