Genre-smashing singer, songwriter, and producer EthanUno has released his debut solo EP, necesidad today via Friends Keep Secrets/Interscope. The EP is a kaleidoscopic sugar rush of lovelorn bilingual lyrics mixed with bright swirls of hyperpop, kawaii-fied R&B, Latin croon, and glitchy dance.
The previously unheard “las mañanas” is a prime example of the happy-sad vibe the San Diego artist has minted over the past few months of tantalizing singles. EthanUno’s pitched-up voice hits like candy as he sings over lo-bit synth, digital blips, and a jittery club beat. The entirety of necesidad is written, produced, performed, recorded, and mastered by EthanUno at his home studio. It’s his DIY vision realized, whether he’s pleading with a withholding partner to the pulsating house of “DQTC,” flexing over syncopated IDM on “someone like u,” or declaring his unwavering devotion on “TLD.”
The entirety of necesidad is written, produced, performed, recorded, and mastered by EthanUno at his home studio. It’s his DIY vision realized, whether he’s pleading with a withholding partner to the pulsating house of “DQTC,” flexing over syncopated IDM on “someone like u,” or declaring his unwavering devotion on “TLD.”
“Signing to a major label has been one of the biggest growing up moments in my life,” says EthanUno. “This moment has made me realize that everything we do in life is out of necessity. I’ve realized you can be f—ing with someone else’s life through your own fight for what you believe in — that’s the nature of necessity.”
EthanUno’s output to date showcases a wild array of influences and energies. Ahead of necesidad’s songs, he shared sweltering pop&B single “quemar” — co-written and co-produced Happy Perez (benny blanco, Halsey, Miguel) — as well as the steamy “pecador,” a trop-house-infused pitch to a would-be lover. Before that came “tattoo,” an equally upbeat and heartbroken cut that wound up making both Entertainment Tonight’s New Music Friday lineup and Ones To Watch’s #NowWatching playlist. The latter also featured his neon-streaked September single, “on 10.” His one-of-one meld of Latin pop and SoundCloud experimentation is spreading.
Older self-released EthanUno songs like “tu” and “pensando en ti” continue to pick up fans, too — some of them famous. “pensando en ti” got an early cosign from Frank Ocean, who played it on Homer Radio, and was more recently embraced by Rosalía, who included the cut on her Interview Magazine “Birthday Bangers” playlist. Now, with necesidad out, EthanUno’s army of followers across socials and beyond is certain to swell.