With the world moving so fast, it's important to remember to slow it down and relax. Van Ness Wu shares that exact sentiment in his latest single 'Chill'. 

Made amidst Californian beaches and summer breezes, the English track is all about stepping back to appreciate the beautiful little things that life has to offer. 

"We wrote the song several years ago but it still holds weight today, especially with everything going on with the social climate. It is really just saying that we're all the same, doesn't matter the colour of our skin or anything like that, and that everybody should just chill out and take a step back, reassess, love each other and have more grace and love for one another," Van Ness tells Bandwagon. 

 

 

 

 

 

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Reminiscent of serene summer road trips and lazy afternoons by the sea, 'Chill' serves as a catchy reminder to enjoy the ride, no matter how crazy it gets.  

"I feel that's kind of like the direction that we really wanted to take with 'Chill'. It's just all about a good time and taking a moment to really appreciate where we are at this time in life, the fact that we're able to do the things we're still able to do," says. the singer-songwriter. 

The single comes in anticipation of Van Ness' English album that's slated for release this summer. Described to be the product of almost four years of work and a collection of stories from various cities across the world—from Kyoto to London, the upcoming record is a reflection of the artist's musical journey and growth through the years. 

Made alongside award-winning songwriter-producer David Lucius King, the album's creative process takes on a similar energy to 'Chill'.

"We started about 3-4 years ago and it was just me meeting producers, meeting people that I vibe with and can write music and create stuff with. That's when I met David and we really just connected. Within five days, we were supposed to write two songs but we wrote five and then after that, I asked him if he wanted to do the whole album together," says the 'Summertime Love' hitmaker. 

"It was very chill and we just kind of put it together. We did it in a way where there wasn't pressure—I hate myself pressure when there's like 'you have to finish this album within a month', I ain't gonna do nothing. I'm just gonna do what I want to do and how I want to do it, especially with music. It was very therapeutic and music is therapy."

 

 

 

 

 

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The upcoming English album is set to be the latest addition to the multihyphenate's long list of milestones and achievements throughout his almost two-decade-long career.

But whether he's releasing another chart-topping record or sharing the stage with the biggest names in music, Van Ness is solely focused on being better than who he was yesterday.

"Honestly, I don't really try to look at stuff like 'oh, what am I trying to achieve', I guess I'm just trying to achieve. I just want to be the best self I can be and the best form of an artist that I can be," he says. 

Listen to Van Ness Wu's latest English single 'Chill' here.