ON FACING ADVERSITIES
Fern. embraces change in music and in style
LAST year, Fern. was recognized with his long black hair, laid back clothing, and stylish steel bracelets. Now, in an interview with Soundstrip, Fern. is sporting a shorter hair that is bleached into a shade of blonde.
The artist admits that other than music, he is also exploring new types of fashion, admitting that he wants to be more “radical” in his clothing choices.
These changes of Fern.’s look have definitely echoed the changes in his upcoming music. But despite the changes, Fern. assures, “The only thing that’s changed is me as a person [...] Everything that changed is basically me. I’ve grown. I’ve also faced a lot of adversities.”
He assures that whatever those “adversities” are, he is in a better place now.
Changes, however, are inevitable and he was not able to avoid it in his music. Instead, he embraced these changes and channeled everything into a much more profound music about his recent experiences.
Fern. is releasing a new single, Whatever This Is - Side B, in collaboration with Indie/r&b artist Nouvul.
Whatever This Is - Side B is slower than his previous songs’ pace. This opens up with a piano, and eventually provides a place where his voice is heard.
For the R&B artist, music has always been an extension of himself so it’s not a surprise when his new song resonates with his personal life.
During the recording, Fern. admitted that a “happier sounding” version of the song was produced and with it, he wants it more to be on the opposite of “happy.”
“The previous version turned out to be ‘happier sounding’ than I intended it to be, even if the lyrics and overall vibe of the song was more on the opposite side of what a happy sound is. So I decided to release a Side B for it, which is a more accurate reflection of what I felt during a certain time in my life,” Fern. explained in a press release.
“The song is about a personal experience, and I wanted to properly convey what it felt like,” he added.
The changes, in addition, have motivated Fern. to explore and “develop a new sense of artistry.”
Since the ease of COVID-19 restrictions, Fern. was fortunate to perform live and present his music beyond the screens into his fans.
Describing the experience, the R&B artist said, “That was good. It’s always a pleasure to be able to perform and directly communicate to your crowd. That’s the beauty of making music—being able to perform it live. That’s always the fun part.”
Fern. is expected to perform live once again. Only this time, he will be performing in Singapore—beyond the landscapes of his Filipino listeners.
Other than music, the R&B artist is also doing other things that is keeping him busy outside the recording studio. He is still running his music production business, sharing that they have been doing music scores for commercials and advertisements.
Fern. also revealed that he will be opening up a new bar in Poblacion—a district that is mostly known for its lively culture and bars— sometime around October this year.
Whatever This Is - Side B is out now on all digital music platforms.