Afgan Releases Sonder, The Most Personal EP With Special Collaboration With Jessi

Afgan (Doc. Trinity Optima Production)

JAKARTA - Afgan launched 'Sonder', his 2nd English mini album after 'Wallflower' (2021) via EMPIRE. The single titled 'Escape' is the focus track for this EP. In the song, Afgan duets with a rapper from South Korea, Jessi.

Sunder is Afgan's work which he calls the most personal. The title represents the feeling or awareness of everyone we meet in life, whether we know it or not, even just passing us while we are walking, having their own stories.

The word 'Sunder' which I found through Pinterest, echoed deeply in my mind. Everyone has their own perspectives and life stories, ranging from simple to complex ones. Each of them is experiencing something in their lives, and we must have a sense of affection for others. That's what made me choose 'Sunder' as the album title, "explained Afgan in a written broadcast received by VOI.

Afgan flew to England to work with several well-known songwriters and producers there, one of whom was the Maestro, the single producer of Rihanna's What Now. He stayed for two weeks, and five songs were born for Sonder.

Starting from the emotional ballad 'Shallow Water' which tells the story of fear of being committed to a relationship due to past trauma, comfort in loneliness in the 'Lonely Night' that dances, to Escape' that comes with the nuances of summer vibes that are fun and fresh. Not only Jessi, but also the female R&B singer with Vietnamese-American blood, thy, in the song Criminal.

I've walked so far, developed a lot, and experienced a lot of things. In the past, I didn't have the right to determine what I wanted from my music. I'm controlled by people's markets and expectations. I'm not confident in speaking up. However, over the course of the years, I became even bolder to explore my music and more open to me so that people can go deeper, "explained Afgan.

Through Sunder, Afgan is getting more and more daring to open up through the lyrics of his songs. He wants to change his image as a nation''' in order to strengthen relations with his fans, and he has never done this before.

"I don't want to get into a box and stay in there forever just because it's comfortable. I want to thrive and that's the direction I want to go to in my work. I want to be more honest in music and 'Sonder' represents my story about it. I'm sorry, I came out of my comfort zone and worked in a new environment, but I want it," continued Afgan.

Escape itself was chosen as a focus track because it represented Afgan's life, which he needed to run for a moment from his routine after years of public attention. This song with catchy beats and sing-along lyrics is suitable to be used as a road trip anthem and refreshing getaway with the closest people.

"As a public figure in the entertainment industry for years, once in a while I'm 'escape' with traveling or just traveling somewhere just to maintain my emotional stability. I think, everyone can understand this. We need a kind of escape with the right companion to recover energy. That's what Escape' says, "he explained.

The shooting process for the video clip 'Escape' was carried out in Bali and displayed a number of activities related to the theme'scape for a moment from everyday routines'.

"It's great to work with Jessi. I really enjoy the moments of our excitement shooting video clip 'Escape' at a villa in Bali. I am grateful that Jessi and her team are willing to fly far to Bali just for shooting," concluded Afgan.