Ireland’s next up hip-hop artist USNA has made a strong return in recent weeks, first landing a Wonderland premiere for ‘REPRESENT’ and then dropping an inventive DIY video for its follow-up ‘SOMETHING AIN’T WORKING’. Now USNA(pronounced OO~SH~NA) continues his off-kilter creativity by releasing the new single ‘RUNNING’, which clocks in at just 38 seconds.
It has been well documented that tracks have been getting shorter in recent years, and USNA takes that trend to its logical extreme with ‘RUNNING’. Making every moment count, USNA flows through a series of interlinked themes – battling the expense of big city life as he pushes to take the next step with his music, being tired of being asked about adjusting to life in London, and realising that returning to rural life just isn’t him. The track’s production is as succinct as its running time, with live piano and melancholic cello helping to shape his lyrical vibe.
USNA says, “‘RUNNING’ is a fight with the desire to leave home and become this massive musical success and the idea of a more peaceful quiet life like many people have.”
‘RUNNING’, ‘REPRESENT’ and ‘SOMETHING AIN’T WORKING’ feature on the ‘REPRESENT’ EP which will be completed by two as yet unreleased tracks. It’s an autobiographical audio postcard of USNA’s experiences since leaving County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland for London – a time full of new and exciting experiences, but also a period which has presented unexpected challenges and a little self-doubt.
All five tracks on the ‘REPRESENT’ EP were written and produced by USNA, his only collaborator being Adj Buffone (Tom Grennan, RAYE) on ‘YOUNG BOY’.
He adds, “‘REPRESENT’ to me is everything I have experienced since leaving my home in Ireland to pursue music: self discovery, conflicting feelings, rejection and nostalgia. The desire to grow and to also relive the past is written into each song. Coming from rural Ireland to living in London would give anyone a sense of cultural whiplash; I have written it into this memoir-esque project as best as I could.”
‘REPRESENT’ will be USNA’s second collection of tracks after releasing his debut mixtape ‘OOSHNA’ last year. It provided a big start for the 24-year-old, who saw the lead single ‘BOO’ earn Radio 1 airplay from Jack Saunders and Gemma Bradley as well as BBC Introducing’s Track of the Week. Major moments soon followed, with an invite to play Radio 1’s Big Weekend and the track featuring in the Netflix show ‘One of Us Is Lying’.
That sort of opportunity only comes around once in a lifetime, so USNA moved to London to make the most of it. Mostly working from his bedroom studio, he called upon his early classical training to give his core hip-hop sound a live feel which has already been compared to Tyler, The Creator, Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem. That story will soon be shared within the full ‘REPRESENT’ EP.
‘REPRESENT’ EP tracklist:
- ‘REPRESENT’
- ‘SOMETHING AIN’T WORKING’
- ‘RUNNING’
- ‘YOUNG BOY’
- ‘WHAT’S LEFT?’
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