Calabasas is Los Angeles’ new electronic, pop, trap duo that has been meteorically rising with each release. With a clear vision, Calabasas has set itself as the main character in a powerful play. Tonight, they’ve let loose their newest and possibly most inspiring visual piece for their imaginative single “Believe In Me.”
After recently revealing their identities as Watrcup and Franskiiz, they’ve put faces to a truly diverse sound. “Believe In Me” is only their fourth release, yet they’ve already built a solid following. It’s safe to say they’re ramping up for a tremendous rollout for their debut independent album, Humans By Association.
To understand the impact Calabasas is looking to create by carving out their own lane in the music industry, you need to look at the rich narratives of each artist. Watrcup is from Los Angeles; he’s always had a fascination with the power of catchy music in any genre.
Whether it was Daft Punk, Kid Cudi, or Rush, Watrcup was always decoding the mysteries of penning a hit from a young age. With Calabasas, he handles vocals, songwriting, and arranging the tracks with Franskiiz. Watrcup has proven in both his solo and collaborative work to have an incredible ear for putting together high-key listenable music.
Franskiiz on the other hand grew up in Hawaii. Even as a kid, he was always playing music and studying classical piano and violin before eventually heading to school for audio engineering. Eventually settling in LA after school Fran got to work cutting his teeth behind the scenes producing for big names. Some of the names he was working under include Eric Bellinger, Smoove L, and Marc E. Bassy before launching his solo music under Franskiiz. Simultaneously, Watrcup had built up his skills with the pen to the point of getting in sessions to write. This is where the two had a chance to meet.
Calabasas
In late 2018 the two met during a studio session and began to collaborate. Six months later, they officially introduced Calabasas to the world. Both artists contribute something different and personal to the music and overall vibe they create. Jared aka Watrcup brings in the initial spark that Francis aka Franskiiz will then ignite into a roaring fire.
With the inspiration and direction coming from Jared as Fran is able to also drop powerful vocals and create masterful instrumentation, it’s a yin-and-yang of pure musical balance. Their initial two tracks, “Who Are You” and “Fine,” are both sitting at well over 150,000 streams each. This somewhat speaks to how flame the music was off top, considering they began this project with their identities hidden.
Superheroes & Villains
Jared aka Watrcup felt like Calabasas needed alter-egos, much like superheroes, to create the backdrop of what they were creating with the music. Watrcup has gone on to elaborate that Calabasas isn’t just them, it’s hundreds of thousands of people throughout history. They’re just the latest to don the masks.
Jared put it eloquently. “We were thinking of the idea you have to present an image of yourself to be more than just an artist.” “You have to be a persona, create something unique, and stand out. We wanted to build a little world where the music could sit nicely.” Finally, he said, “we pave our own lane you can connect to. It’s more than just sound, but it starts there.”
“Believe In Me” & Humans By Association
Calabasas’ upcoming album, Human By Association, is truly going to be the foundation for understanding the project. The duo intends for the record to be an inspiration to not box yourself in. They didn’t put any limitations on themselves to put this blockbuster project together. By growing together on this project, the two found what they’re capable of and that the sky’s the limit. With the release of “Believe In Me,” they’re giving us a taste of what’s going to come off of Humans By Association.
The video begins with a young girl playing with her toys in the front yard. There’s a vocoder hook that comes in that reminds me of early Imogen Heap. A buoyant trap beat ensues, hooking the listener in an intoxicating fashion. With the focus on the young girl caught in a daydream at the grocery store, the track is super whimsical.
Calabasas – Believe In Me (Official Music Video)
The song almost seems like the perfect soundtrack to an uplifting Disney/Pixar animated film. When she meets Calabasas outside the store it’s as if her toys have come to life along with a wandering dollar bill. This imagery is meant to illustrate Calabasas’ message of achieving riches if you simply believe in yourself.
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