Written by Marilù Ciabattoni
Discovered via Musosoup
Not only a singer-songwriter but a manga artist as well, CHE a.k.a. MURDAH SRVC succeeded in unifying his two passions into one.
Borrowing (or stealing?) his stage name from the nickname of the pharmaceutical company DIKE Service, the artist takes inspiration from a myriad of random and unrelated things.
His mantra? “I’d rather take a risk and fly close to the sun than be defined by what others think.” Does it ring a bell? Taking inspiration from the Greek myth of Icarus, CHE sends a message of self-satisfaction and confidence in his track titled like the protagonist of the tale; while “Medusa,” another reference to Greek mythology, talks about the harshness of a toxic relationship which is destined to die.
Find out more about this curious artist in the interview below!
Introduce yourself: who is MURDAH SRVC? How and when was the project born?
My name is CHE and I’m a singer-songwriter and manga artist. I wrote a story, made a manga off it and composed the soundtrack which I performed live with a three-piece band.
MURDAH SRVC is the nickname for a pharmaceutical company called DIKE Service that has been experimenting memory replacing devices on human beings and that’s the core of the story. Main leads Ron & Maya will have to fight to expose these evil people.
How has your music changed in the past few years?
I started this project about 9 years ago and I have to say I am definitely more aware of what I am capable of, what I like and especially what I do not like.
Who inspired your music? Who are your biggest influences?
The trilogy era of The Weeknd really got me into dark-sounding tunes, at the same time Frank Ocean was getting lots of exposure and I really loved his style back then. Novocaine. Miguel, Massive Attack, SOHN, Chet Faker, Ryuichi Sakamoto among many others
Could you introduce your favourite singles you've released so far?
“Medusa” is a song about leaving a toxic relationship and how harsh it can become. “Icarus” is dedicated to all those people who’ve been told they weren’t good enough, smart enough, or thin enough. I’d rather take a risk and fly close to the sun than be defined by what others think.
How did you develop this style? Will you experiment with other genres in the future?
I started off with soul and R&B. I still do use soul vocals but I love to mix it with dirty bass lines and synths. I definitely would love to experiment more with dance and EDM things.
Let's talk about "Running on the Surface (TonYnoT Remix):" What inspired it and how did it come to life?
“Running on the surface” is a song about escaping your life problems. The male lead of my manga, Ron, is a hikikomori with issues relating to the world. At some point, he has to get out of his comfort zone and face the real world. I released this song in 2018 and in 2020 I asked my friend TonYnoT to remix it. I met Tony in 2017 and we shared some gigs together in London. Then he went back to Hong Kong but we kept in touch. Tony really taught me how to find better my vocal range and get the best out of a song respecting who I really am as a musician. He did an extraordinary job on this remix mixing EDM, pop and soul together.
Who produces your tracks? How do you choose which producers to work with? Do you have some dream producers you'd like to work with?
I’ve been working with John Lui, Calti, David Arona, Simone Liotta and TonYnoT. I usually write a song piano and voice, then add instruments and cut a demo. Then I take the song to the producers I believe have the best sound for it and I love to work close by. I’d love to sit next to SOHN and work together in the studio.
Is music your main occupation at the moment? If not, how are you conciliating your day job with your music career?
Nope, I have a 9 to 5 and I take care of my family too. It’s very hard and frustrating dealing with all the rejection indie musicians have to face on a daily basis. I take care of everything myself from album artwork to booking from hiring a mixing engineer (shout out to Pierpaolo Latina) to writing a plot for a music video and it can be financially and mentally challenging. But at the same time, it’s very rewarding cause I take ownership of it.
Have you ever been on tour? If not, would you like to embark on one? If yes, tell us about it.
I had the opportunity to perform in Germany, the UK, The Netherlands, Italy and Japan but I’ve never been on an actual tour. I’d love to be on one someday.
Where do you see yourself in one year as a musician?
I’d love to get on a Euro and UK tour. I perform in the major cities for an audience that can enjoy my music and manga. A year from now, I see myself with my manga on bookstore shelves joining Comicons all over Europe.
Discovered via https://app.musosoup.com #sustainablecurator