Friday, May 2021 — Singapore-based singer/songwriter Dru Chen pens down a romantic ballad, one that’s closest to his heart. Conjuring enchanting visions of Paris, France with its idyllic coffee shops & dreamy fashion, the R&B track is a special piece about laying one’s heart on the line for something which is never quite guaranteed. “It was written during a time of intense vulnerability, when life and love went through tumultuous ups and downs,” shares Dru.
Eiffel Tower was jointly written by Joel Tan of Gentle Bones and Dru Chen, and solely produced by Dru. Starting off slow and steady, the verses are quiet and intimate, a contrast to the bustling, explosive chorus that makes us feel like we’re in celebration of love, especially with Dru singing, “Pray you don’t let me go / ‘Cause who’s gonna catch me / When I fall for you”. The song speaks straight to the heart – encouraging us to let down our guard and let a lover or, l’amoreux, into our lives.
With the country still in a pandemic and our hopes of traveling dashed, Eiffel Tower also aims to transport its audience to its namesake and impart that high, giddy feeling you get when experiencing happy moments with a loved one. Eiffel Tower is about exploring relationships – whether romantic, platonic or familial, it ultimately displays the “intimacy of a lifetime of human connection”. It is about discovering the world through new lenses and constantly pushing one another to be better.
The song opens with the hook, “It’s all because of your love” and is peppered throughout the rest of the song – in varying degrees of emotion and melody. We also hear a satisfying electric guitar riff in the bridge, representing a culmination of the Pop/R&B track’s wonder and whimsy in this warm feeling we call love. Eiffel Tower shows maturity in both its production and lyrics – inspiring audiences to help each other pursue their dreams instead of tearing them down. “We can choose to come out stronger, more invigorated, and more alive than ever,” Dru observes, “That is the ultimate human experience.”
More About Dru Chen
Dru Chen is an Australian singer/songwriter based in Singapore. In 2019, Dru started on strong footing with debut album ‘Mirror Work’. This impressed Warner Music so much that they signed him on the spot. His co-writing efforts with Tanya Chua and Ge Da Wei for Modern Brothers’ Liu Yuning secured him an international publishing deal with Universal Music Publishing Group China. In October 2020, Dru co-wrote ‘Carnival’, a theme song for Riot Games’ best selling international game, League of Legends. In May 2021, Dru was shortlisted and won an award at Taiwan’s prestigious Fresh Music Awards (FMA) – clinching last year’s Top 10 Albums of the Year.
Following the success of ‘Mirror Work’ – an ode to 70’s music – the R&B/funk musician released ‘Who We R’, a nostalgic pop tune featuring a stellar cast of contributors such as Benjamin Kheng and Evanturetime. From hit singles ‘When I Look Into Your Eyes’, which was placed on Mediacorp Channel 5’s 2019 campaign, to ‘Distant Memory’ – these tunes evoke a 60’s blues & folk vibe reminiscent of The Beatles.
In 2020/21, Dru released ‘Future Me + U’, ‘Givin’ It Up’ and ‘Replay’ – all of which garnered coverage all over SEA, such as ST Life!, Swee Lee, Bandwagon Asia and NME Asia to name a few. These newer tracks serve as a refreshing sound and an eclectic mesh of electropop, soul, nu-disco and R&B. While D’Angelo, Freddie Mercury and Jeff Buckley continue to be his main vocal inspirations, Dru also takes a more contemporary approach, drawing influences from artists such as DEON, Gentle Bones and Daniel Caesar.
