A partnership forged online, Øceans discovered Van Heyn's music on Instagram in 2020. “I thought she had an amazing voice, which would suit an instrumental track I was working on at the time. We connected and started working on the track with her vocal hook as the base,” recalls Øceans.
Working together for the first time, Van Heyn was taken immediately by Øceans’s approach to production. “Øceans is very hands-on and open to suggestions. He is also extremely organised.
“Working as a music producer myself, it makes it very easy to communicate with similar jargon. It also makes it an eye-opening experience to learn from one another and see how these genres are able to complement each other.”
Bringing the sound of Øceans to the writing of Van Heyn, “Parallel Babe” was originally written by Van Heyn while living in a hotel in Shanghai. “Spending a year there, it was prevalent how patrons were prone to enter a ‘fantasy realm’ in this wonderful city. I wanted to explore the psyche and narrative of playing the role of the ‘untouchable’ or the ‘product of desire’ - that being the ‘parallel babe’. Even if it is against her own will,” explains Van Heyn.
Adding to the track from what Van Heyn had composed, Øceans developed the sound for the production, saying: “I really felt a dark jealous feel in Emma's vocal and wanted the bassline and overall musical aesthetic to represent that internal turmoil and broodiness.”
I chatted to Van Heyn last week.
Back to basics.
When my bank account and I are equally relaxed.
We get each other.
Everything I struggle to make sense of.
Quincy Jones.
I get the most inspired on an aeroplane.
The release I feel after plotting something down.
My cover of “Vincent” by Don McLean.
I once had a teenager rap to me while I was performing a dreamy set, asking for a big break. Another time, I threw up while singing “Happy Birthday” to someone. I also had a random man gently caress my back while I was playing the piano.
My ears.
Whisky on the rocks at a club, red wine around the dinner table, champers during the day.
If Cardi B does acrobatics somewhere in the middle of my set, I’m done.
I never stick to a musical recipe and I stay true to what the story asks of me.
Em, Little, Vlooitjie, Emmer, Stemps.
I’d be something in the line of PR.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge because she’s an awkwardly good time. Keira Knightly could be her stunt double if she’s up for it.
Hardworking, sensitive, conceptualist, giver, evolver.
Mok - that’s not a vibe.
To churn out as many creative projects as possible.
Learning to care less and love more.
Make people cry.
To not focus on the fluff.
I am currently developing a therapy; I support Four Paws; and I help other artists achieve their creative potential.
I wish to never stop dreaming.