Feng Suave Flaunts Effortlessly Psychedelic  Soul in "Venus Flytrap" Video  [PREMIERE + Q&A]

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Amsterdam-based duo Feng Suave are the dose of soulful, psychadelic pop that we all need. Fronted by two different Daniels, the up and comers have a relaxed yet sophisticated sound. Their self-titled debut EP quickly caught the attention of the industry, racking up 15 million streams across platforms and receiving praise from punk rock legend Iggy Pop. In the performance realm, Feng Suave sold out their first headline dates in both Amsterdam and London and are currently embarking on a tour across Europe and the UK.

"Venus Flytrap" is their first single since the EP, and doesn't disappoint with dreamy production and delightfully offbeat lyrics. The accompanying video is equally satisfying, shot at a remote cottage in The Netherlands and complete with both vintage appeal and a modern touch.

We caught up with Feng Suave before their tour to get the details on how they met, the benefits of being a duo and what they love about their fans.

OTW: How did you two connect?

Feng Suave: We actually met on a Dutch talent show. We weren't exactly vibing with the show, or the environment, but one great take away was the fact that we met. We instantly dug each other's music and ideas.

OTW: What do you love about being in a duo rather than a solo project?

Feng Suave: Ultimately we have had the benefit of our songwriting process gelling smoothly between just the two of us. We seem to complement each other and also hold each other accountable. Perhaps the best thing about it is the inspiration we draw from each other, that you might otherwise not get from doing it alone.

OTW: What’s your dynamic like when you’re songwriting together? Does it change depending on the song?

Feng Suave:  It definitely changes song to song. Sometimes Daniel will write the instrumentation of an idea and then hum some rough lyrics or melody for Daniel to rework and lay a vocal track over. Other times, one of us will pen a vocal idea first and we will flesh it out together. We record and mix our music, for the most part, up on the third floor of a rickety old apartment that Daniel lives in. His room is like an old attic. Three floors below are the streets of Amsterdam's red light district, and there's tourists usually running around and yelling at all hours. Up in his room is a bit of a safe space, tucked away from the chaos, but sometimes we need to get out of the house and city altogether to drive some inspiration.

OTW: In terms of genre, you have a very specific blend to your sound. How did you find that distinct sound?

Feng Suave:  Thanks! It would have to be mostly via the broad set of influences that have rubbed off on us. From a young age we've both listened to and taken inspiration from almost every style and genre. This project in particular is influenced as much by artists like King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard as it is Myles Davis, Nina Simone and MF DOOM–and everyone in between.

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OTW: What has been your favorite performance moment thus far?

Feng Suave:  Definitely performing at Paradiso Noord, an amazing venue in our home city of Amsterdam. We played there in December to celebrate the release of "Venus Flytrap." Playing at home is amazing. That said, we've had some incredible times on our first ever tour which recently took us to amazing spots like Paris, London, Berlin and Geneva. We love playing and are excited to add more performances to our personal highlights.

OTW: What do you love about your fans?

Feng Suave:  Firstly it's still kinda new to us that people are vibing our music to this extent, considering we are only new to making music and this project is very fresh. It's always hard to know how people are going to view or respond to creative output, and we are just completely floored and humbled by the response so far. To answer your question, we have such a supportive fan base who are very active on our social media. They seem to always be supporting us and saying nice things.

OTW: The video for “Venus Flytrap” is in a very secluded spot, what gave you the inspiration for the location?

Feng Suave:  We wanted to give the video a bit of an old school feel, but also ensure the vibe was a bit eerie. We felt this was a great representation of the song itself. It is also our first ever music video, so it's the first chance for people to get a peak behind the curtain of our creativity in terms of a visual. We rented a cottage in the middle of a forest in The Netherlands. The house itself was perfect for it. Our close friends Bob, Pasqual and their amazing creative teams deserve all the kudos for the clip.

OTW: What’s next for you two?

Feng Suave:  Always writing music, and touring! We have about 20 shows announced today for the UK and Europe for this spring. It's gonna be a busy year.

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Q: Who are your Ones to Watch?

Feng Suave:  There are far too many exciting upcoming artists to list here, but we'll pick a few. Joviale ia an exciting new artist from the UK and Tora is an Australian band who took us out on our first ever shows in London and Amsterdam. There's also an amazing Dutch rapper called Ray Fuego that you should check out.


Catch Feng Suave at their upcoming shows below:

FEB 20 2019 - Huset KBH, Copenhagen DK

FEB 22 2019 - Daze Days Festival, Stockholm SE

APR 04 2019 - Tweetakt Festival, Utrecht NL

APR 30 2019 - Boderline, London UK

MAY 02 2019 - Altstadt, Eindhoven NL

MAY 03 2019 - Muziekcafé, Enschede NL

MAY 04 2019 - Rotown, Rotterdam NL

MAY 07 2019 - Neues Schauspiel, Leipzig DE

MAY 08 2019 - Berghain Kantine, Berlin DE

MAY 09 2019 - Nochtspeicher, Hamburg DE

MAY 10 2019 - Etepetete Festival, Dortmund DE

MAY 11 2019 - Lotte Lindenberg, Frankfurt DE

MAY 13 2019 - AB Club, Brussels BE

MAY 15 2019 - The Rocking Chair, Vevey CH

JUN 01 2019 - Best Kept Secret Festival, Hilvarenbeek NL

JUN 18 2019 - Oerol Festival, Terschelling NL

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