Imagine if Timbaland and SOPHIE produced for The Weeknd. Throw in some Prince-Esque hypersexuality, Doja Cat’s quirky delivery and a giant 90’s puffer coat, and you have Gozi’s new single ‘Boyfriend’. Written, produced and recorded in Gozi’s bedroom over one of 2021’s many lockdowns, ‘Boyfriend’ is a perfect distillation of the artist’s distinct sound; husky RnB vocals, chunky synths, thrilling beat switch-ups and more bad behaviour than you can shake a stick at. The result is a fizzing piece of bassy futuristic pop, full of intriguing lyrics topped off with a striking video by up-and-coming filmmaker Ronen Eldar featuring late-night parties, outlandish fashion and bad behaviour. The visual features bold, colourful styling from Joan Ling-Lee Nesbit Chang (Hunerfreund, Danny Elfman), innovative makeup looks by Sarah Hartgens and slick choreography from Phoenix Chase-Meares.
I’ve always had a fascination with bad behaviour and moral ambiguity. ‘Boyfriend’ is one of those songs that is definitely based on some things that have actually happened to me but pushed to the extreme.
– Gozi
I wanted to explore the duality of being the “homewrecker”; the shame of being a late night dirty secret to someone but also having the power to really mess up their life if you wanted to. Being desired so much that someone is willing to risk their relationship just to hook up with you in the middle of the night. It’s hot, in a dark kinda way.
As for the shame and guilt, sure it sucks being booty-called at 4 in the morning but at least you’re not the one being cheated on. You really are the person with the least to lose. Does taking solace in that make you a bad person? To be honest I don’t know. I wouldn’t recommend you try it at home, that’s for sure. But for a two and a half minute long pop song, it definitely makes for a thrilling story. And that’s all that really matters, if you ask me!
Ronen Eldar on the video: “After watching Gozi perform, I immediately wanted to work with him. I loved his energy and presence and wanted to see what kind of world we could create together. The idea was to weave a narrative into a party with 2000’s popstar energy – something sexy, inebriated and edging on trashy. Taking inspiration from Lady Gaga and Fiona Apple, we collaborated to create a strong aesthetic that invites you into Gozi’s world as he plays with the idea of being the secret lover. We also wanted to integrate contemporary elements. Especially using the smartphone as a motif to represent the inability to disconnect and the way it creates an insidious addiction – just like how doing the wrong thing can be enticing.”
Gozi is a London-born singer-songwriter and producer, crafting the future of pop music from his Berlin bedroom. Inspired by everything from modern trap to K-pop, buzzing electronic beats and boyband aping vocal harmonies, Gozi’s music is truly contemporary and post-internet – creating a sonic world without boundaries or limits on the imagination. Confessional lyrics cataloguing a lifetime of late-night bad behaviour and an unmistakable husky vocal tone complete the package of a pop megastar in the making.
Catch Gozi performing at Tipsy Bear Berlin on the 17th of August for the Boyfriend Single Launch.
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Photo by Celeste Call
Video director is Ronen Eldar @rorow.yourboat
‘Boyfriend’ is out now: gozi.bandcamp.com/track/boyfriend
