Known for songs like Turnaround and You Bring Out The Best In Me, Dru also composed other hopeful songs like Lovelight and Involved. Dru’s new single, You Got It Babe, proves his progress as a maturing musician with a polished sound that is still imbued with a graceful honesty that lives in all his songs.
An artist who sees the need to get in touch with himself and his surroundings to wholly concentrate on his craft, Dru has a multitude of refreshing ideas on what makes the success of a musician.
How would you describe your musical style?
Soulful. Sensual. Funky. Authentic. Vintage.
Where do you draw inspiration from when writing your own music?
I love older styles of music, specifically all the permutations of rhythm & blues, soul, funk and rock from the 1950s to today. I draw inspiration from the past. Turnaround was a looped ‘90s neo-soul piece while You Bring Out The Best In Me was drawn from ‘70s Stevie Wonder and Sly & The Family Stone. Right now, I’m working on a bit of a Beatlesque track that has funky southern gospel guitar-playing with an unquantised, staggered hip-hop feel to the beat.
Lyrically, my words flow from what is happening in real life - relationships, struggles, happiness, gratitude, regret, love and beauty. I often find myself free-styling lyrics while recording. I like it when songs flow like speech. I find this method the most immediate and honest. Later on, I would work on individual words to make them fit better poetically and tonally.
Congratulations on receiving radio airplay across the world! Which of your songs do you feel are underrated and would like people to listen to more?
Thank you! I would like to highlight Trainwrecks from my Intentions EP.
I wrote this when I was 16. It was about my first high school relationship as well as myself questioning all of the feelings that came with it. It is definitely one of my more honest, raw and revealing songs. A lot of my Singaporean friends are into this track. I think Singaporeans appreciate honesty and vulnerability in music.
How did you come to the decision to concentrate on your own writing over a Berklee Scholarship?
I got the scholarship at 19. At that time, I was already out there playing in four different bands with varying genres. I was also writing a lot of material at home in a myriad of styles. I guess I needed to do some soul-searching and find a style I could call my own. I took some time off to do that, away from the pressures of going to Berklee and the US. Now, I feel like I can bring my own sound to new audiences around the world.
How would you define success?
Success is such a relative thing. It can be as simple as waking up feeling good about yourself, something that is often easier said than done. Ultimately, to me, success is about finding inner peace and consistently practising healthy living habits in mind, body and spirit. Of course, it was no doubt very encouraging to be offered the opportunity for the Berklee Scholarship and for someone as gifted, strong, artistic and funky as Kimbra to dig my jams!
What would you like to accomplish in the process of becoming a successful musician?
First and foremost, I would like to say that I hope the journey towards success and self-improvement never ends. To quote my good friend, singer-songwriter Inch Chua, “satisfaction is the utter death of the artist”.
Having said that, I do have some things I want to accomplish. I want to build a good team around me. I want to give my songs the best homes for them to flourish in. By that, I mean getting them to the right places like having them be used in the right films and shows.
When we say 'head in the clouds', people sometimes see it as living in a fantasy or associate it with unrealistic thinking. As far as music and art goes, is it necessary and possible to do so and yet remain rooted at the same time?
I see it as a business move and part of the brainstorming process to ‘dream big’. Place no limits on your creativity or fantasies. Then break it down objectively, preferably with a team of people who have your best interests at heart. Your plans will be grounded in the reality of music-making while your inspiration and ideas will be limitless. Work every day towards building and executing your plan. It is an on-going process and everything affects everything else. That is the same for life, geography, relationships, family, health and happiness. Yes, it is possible to be a dreamer and have your feet on the ground at the same time. It takes the help of others and it takes practice.
To whom and what would you give credit to for your current success?
Anybody who has ever bought a CD or checked out a video online. People who have opened themselves up and let the groove and vibes flow through them at a show. Music is a two-way exchange from performer to audience. We are all just putting vibes out into the universe, trying to create a bit of magic.
I would also like to thank my mentors, friends, family, musicians and the forefathers in music and art. Anybody who has ever asked me for my opinion, or shared his or her opinions with me. Bootlegs - lots of live bootlegs and studio outtakes. My uncle’s vinyl collection. The list goes on.
Lastly, what gives a musician his/her success, besides creating good music?
Self-awareness. You need to know how you operate best and put yourself in a positive headspace. For me, that means treating songwriting like a game. It is like creative play in childhood. My personality type according to the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator is ‘Introverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving’ (ISFP), which is the classic “composer” or “artist” type that thrives on individualism and sensory possibilities.
I bring out my creativity by being in nature, going for long walks and trying out new sounds and styles. Know what makes you tick and tap into that inspiration. Be consistent and fall in love with learning! That gives you staying power. “Success” will come when you least expect it, but you would have already put in all the groundwork in the process!
