Shiraz is out now!
Image: Supplied.
Genre-defying rapper, singer and songwriter, Lemaire recently dropped his new single, Shiraz, alongside the announcement of his debut EP, What Did You Expect?. To celebrate the release, the musician shared with MILKY five pivotal records that helped shape his sound.
"I played it in my car over and over on the way home from a songwriting session one day and instantly found the chorus, melody and began writing lyrics in my head. When I got home I burst through the door to sit down and write it all out. It was probably one of the quickest songs I've ever written," the musician shares of the track.
MALIBU BY ANDERSON PAAK.
Hands down my favourite album ever. Every time I listen to Malibu I instantly want to pick up a guitar and make something. The grooves, the basslines, the suuuper stylish rapping and his raspy voice all come together so nicely on every song. Now that I’m thinking about it, just after this album came out was when I started producing my own music in FL Studio, and I don’t think that’s a coincidence.
+ BY ED SHEERAN
This album was kinda the reason I started writing my own songs back in 2011. Although I don’t really listen to Ed any more, this record played a huge part in my musical development. I loved how he seamlessly integrated hip-hop rhythms with commercial pop melodies, and the whole story behind his come up gave me a lot of hope when kicking off my own musical career. At one point I knew every chord and lyric on this album. This record will always resonate with me.
CALIFORNICATION BY RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS
JOHN FRUSCIANTE BRO! His guitar playing, specifically that crispy stratocaster sound and the way he gives melody to every chord he plays has been a major influence on my guitar playing. This record is also very nostalgic for me, and prompts so many good memories of my growing up.
DOC’S DA NAME BY REDMAN
I remember being like 6 or 7 and digging through an old chest full of photo albums, cds and tapes in my family home one time and coming across ‘Doc’s Da Name’. It had a super wack cover so I stuck it in my walkman and had a listen in secret. That shit changed my life, no joke ahahah. This record made me fall in love with rap music.
GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN’ BY 50 CENT
The first album I ever bought for myself! I must have been about 7 or 8 and bought the CD from a second hand store with a bunch of coins I had accumulated from doing chores around the house. My dad would always hide the CD when mum was in the car, but as soon as she was gone we would bump that shit sooo hard. I remember screaming “2003 suburban swervin’, too many shots of Henny!” at like 8 years old just having the best time - and as long as I left out the swear words, Dad was fine with me and my brother rapping along.
Shiraz is out now!