The final ear-piercing tune at ALL Club, one of Shanghai’s most fashionable and progressive nightlife spots, petered out around 1 AM on the night of August 6. Normally, this would be a sign for guests to adjourn. Nevertheless, most of the crowd remained on the dance floor, standing still, and quietly drinking in the scorching hot, dimly-lit room.
Those in the know were gearing up for the next performance, and an unusual one at that. They weren’t there to get down to electronic beats or hip hop bangers, but to sway slowly to the ethereal and poetic tracks of Bloodz Boi’s new EP a crying poem.
Released on August 5, the EP features six tracks, or more precisely, six poems that were spun into songs with the help of Texan producers Claire Rousay and More Eeaze.
“I often write words down, and I call them ‘poems.’ That doesn’t mean they are worthy of scrutiny, but they come from the deepest part of my memories and are precious to me,” Bloodz Boi told RADII.
The artist, who built a name for himself in Beijing’s underground scene, is uncompromising and original. Shirking labels, he identifies as “a human who makes music.”
While many associate him with the rising genre of emo rap, the artist’s work is eclectic, and spans from trap to shoegaze.
“I don’t think my music should be ascribed to any genre; it’s just Bloodz Boi’s music,” he shrugged.
Refusing to conform to the written and unwritten rules of the domestic star system, Bloodz Boi stays true to himself by practicing lyrical freedom and embracing face tattoos, even if the latter puts him at a disadvantage with regards to participating in China’s popular (and expensive) music festival circuit.
In a touching video interview with YouTuber Xiao Ma, the musician openly discussed his mental health and said, “I don’t make music for money, but to vent my emotions.”
The artist’s unfiltered approach resonates with both audiences in China and abroad: a crying poem has been well-received by respected online publication Pitchfork and bi-monthly British style magazine Dazed.
The artist has also been given his own monthly radio show on NTS Radio, an online radio station and media platform founded in Hackney, London, UK.
The artist, who is halfway through his China tour, shared, “I am a pretty closed person, and it’s a very courageous thing for me to go out there and sing for people. I have gained a lot from this tour, and I’ll talk about it more once it’s over.”
The EP is available on major streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and QQ Music.
Audiences who aren’t well-versed with Mandarin can check out English translations of Blood Boi’s lyrics supplied by the artist himself on Genius.com.
Cover image via Instagram
