As he heavily leans into the wave of a new and refreshing sound, Sydney-based indie-pop artist Jeffrey Chan is following his latest success with a retro-influenced synth-pop sound and giving it a modern twist.
Navigating through his inimitably crafted hues with ease, many have deemed him talented enough to have a breakthrough artist of the year potential.
With his most recent single, “You Only Want Me When I’m Gone,” taking a nod to the nostalgic 80s era with its reminiscent qualities deeply etched into the musical foundation, we’re heavily sedated by the lush, jaunty guitar riffs flooding our speakers.
Jeffrey Chan has a distinct vocalization style with the powerful rush that drips from his mesmerizing croons as soon as he graces the track. Feeling a vibrating resonance from the bellows protruding, we hear how “You Only Want Me When I’m Gone” sways into the narrative of knowing your worth in a relationship, and putting your needs first as you make decisions based on your best interest.
Including the difficult choice of having to cut ties and part ways from someone that you invested so much time in, Jeffrey Chan highlights the bittersweet journey that will have you reminiscing on moments that reflect your personal experiences. As we take in the meaningful record and explore the toned back verses, we have to admit that we’re filled with a burst of energy as the chorus kicks into high gear.
There’s something so beautiful about the way that “You Only Want Me When I’m Gone” transports itself into our minds. Holding onto all trademarks of a break-up song, finding your strength and inner worth makes self-love a prominent theme across the board of Jeffrey Chan’s masterpiece. Grasp onto the intoxicating melodies of Jeffrey Chan with “You Only Want Me When I’m Gone” on all streaming platforms.
Congratulations on the release of "You Only Want Me When I'm Gone." We love how you took a break-up song and infused it with new beginnings and self-worth. With many people struggling with that inner strength, do you find that you're finally in a good spot where you make choices based on self-love?
I like to think that I always put myself first, especially when it comes to love and relationships, as selfish as that may sound. I think the great thing about relationships is that it always teaches you something new, whether it be about yourself or about the person you're with. With this new song, I wanted to explore how you realize having to put your feelings first but that you shouldn't be grieving about the loss of the relationship but celebrating the love you had and all that you've learned.
Could you please share a glimpse into what the creative process looked like when bringing this song to life?
The title of this song was just a phrase that came up in everyday conversation with some friends when I was telling them a story. Many of my pieces come about this way, starting as phrases that I find slipping into my life daily. This phrase, in particular, stuck with me, and from there, it grew into this song that draws a lot from the '80s and 90's soft rock and new wave vibes. This one came naturally to me, especially the lyrics. Usually, as I'm writing my lyrics, I usually find that I can visualize what the video will look like, so it's a creative process that works in tandem - and this one in particular just had such 80s MTV vibes. To it, which is how the video turned out!
Knowing that this is a new route for your signature sound, what inspired you to tour through nostalgia and play into the genre of synth-pop?
I think I've always had a huge interest in music from the '80s and 90's - it's probably some of my most-listened-to music. At the heart of it, I am a massive sucker for classic pop gems, and I love a good ballad, so I think this is where this track stems from. I believe with all my music, I aim to have something in there that is undeniably catchy, and I guess you could say all of my music falls into the 'pop' category. Still, I've experimented with different genres here and there. I've found myself in the synth-pop side of things more with these past few releases, and I think it works well with my songwriting and vocal style!
From writing this song to releasing it, how do you feel you have grown as a person and artist?
In the past year and a bit, I've switched things up and released four singles (this being the fourth) and let each one have its moment in the spotlight. I'm used to writing and releasing whole bodies of work, so this is a nice change of pace for me in that I can constantly evolve and shift my sound ever so slightly by what I'm inspired by the most. The past year has been my most successful to date, and as a result, I have grown a tonne as an artist and as a person in my professional and personal life!