When an artist goes viral it’s often a kiss of death. They burn bright like a meteorite flashing across the sky for a second, but once the brightness fades, it’s damn near impossible to recreate that sparkle and shine a second, third, or even fourth time.
Defying those odds is artist and creator, Ren.
He went viral with his song “Hi Ren” in late December 2022 and I myself discovered him when artist, Chantal Kreviazuk, reposted a video of him with praise for the song and him.
The issue with a lot of viral things is that there is no meat to the bones…meaning there is no substance to the creation and for an artist to have longevity, there has to be substance. They can’t sustain on the one hit or flash in the pan creation. They can milk that ‘one hit wonder’ until the cows come home, but for only so long.
That’s where the difference in Ren lies.
He has substance and a fucking lot of it. He’s honest within his lyrics, his emotions, and his reality.
With his 5th single of 2023, “Murderer” has proven yet again that Ren is more than a viral sensation. He’s built a Taylor Swift like fan base who devours everything he releases. While I may not be a Swiftie, I could be a Rennie (please don’t come at me, I have zero idea what die hard Ren fans call themselves).
I keep a keen eye and ear on Ren as I see how he’s changing the music industry and how it works. He’s a disruptor in an industry that is staunch in tradition and it’s beautiful and inspirational to watch how he is creating his own path and showing others how it can be done without the assistance of having a label behind him.
Like its predecessors, “Sick Boi”, “Illest of Our Time”, “Animal Flow”, and “Suic*de”, “Murderer” already has more than half million views and it’s only 2 days old (at the time of publishing this article) and it’s deservedly so.
Ren once again provides infectious lyrics and beats with “Murderer”. When I heard the song for the first time, I thought to myself, radio listeners would eat this song up. That’s if current radio actually played more than the same 5-10 artists.
Alas, Ren doesn’t radio behind him just like he doesn’t need a label behind him. The guy and whoever he has on Team Ren know what the fuck they’re doing and seem to be just doing fine.
But let’s get back to “Murderer”.
What I enjoy the most about the song is that it is another layer of who Ren is as an artist and shows another side of his lyrical talent. Ren’s rhymes and his flow have a wonderful sense of ease and that shows beautifully in “Murderer”. The song also gives a spotlight on Ren’s singing voice that too carries a sense of effortlessness and softness to it.
While “Murderer” has great beats and music, the charmers of the song are Ren’s lyrics and vocals.
Listen and watch “Murderer” below
For other articles on Ren
HOT TRACK: “Bittersweet Symphony” by Ren
LISTEN & WATCH: “Illest of Our Time” by Ren
