The Durban-based electronic duo Easy Freak is just released the music video for their second single, Gotta Be You. This comes after their debut single and music video for ‘So Lonely’ stormed the charts on radio nationwide and the video received extensive airplay on Trace TV and MTV Africa. We asked them (Dominic Hurd and Jude Kenrick) a few quick questions to get to know them better…
Between the two of you, who’s the “Easy” and who’s the “Freak” (and why would you say so)? And/or, what’s the story behind the name?
I think if anything Jude’s both. Haha! We have a big funk influence in our music and when Dom’s brother suggested the name it immediately felt perfect. It had that 70’s funk sound which we loved.
How did Easy Freak come about/get started?
We were in a different band together and when that ended, we decided to start a new project with just the two of us. We realised we just clicked in taste and style, and had the same vision for our sound, which made creating and producing together so much fun.
On that note, how did you first get started in music?`
Both of us actually grew up playing music in church, and it kinda flowed from there. We both played in bands in school and then started to take our chosen instruments more seriously. We both actually studied Jazz at UKZN and decided to pursue music as a career, not just a hobby.
Your music is an interesting mix of Pop/Electro/Funk/Soul sounds – do you have strong influences or musicians you look up to in these genres?
Yeah we definitely do. We both listen to so many different styles of music, ranging from pop and commercial stuff right through to pretty intricate and out there jazz. So it’s hard to pin down any specific influences. Dom loves 70’s funk, and Jude is into fusion jazz like Snarky Puppy. So we love to experiment with different sounds and influences over a foundational pop sound.
You’ve established yourself in Durban – do you have any plans to travel the country (and maybe come to Gauteng) soon?
For sure! We would have loved to have toured more extensively already but we are working on it. We’ll definitely see you in Jozi over December!
Your new single, Gotta Be You, is very upbeat and dancy – will this same vibe be a constant going forward, or will you be shaking it up?
I think dance will always be a huge factor in our music. We love dancing and making people dance, so it’s a natural outcome. We do have some more smooth and soulful stuff, but predominantly the upbeat stuff will always be there!
What’s your new single about?
Gotta Be You is about fighting for love, or for what you believe in. There is a personal element to this song about not giving up and fighting for someone, even when you’re facing circumstances that are against you.
What’s in your CD player/top of your playlist at the moment?
Tom Misch- Beautiful Escape
Mac Miller ft Anderson Paak. – Dang
The Weeknd and Daft Punk – Starboy
Robert Glasper Experiment
To name a few!
The video for Gotta Be You, directed by Brett Jones of Pretty Handsome Films.
Easy Freak is a Durban-based electronic duo. You can check them out on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, and buy their latest single, Gotta Be You, on iTunes. The single is also available on Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer, Google Play and all other leading online music stores.
