Born out of some haunted, soulful, torturous rhythms arrives “Blood Orange,” the new single and video from Wiley from Atlanta. Over three rapturous minutes, the song morphs from a mesmerizing blend of funk, country, and R&B into a guitar-driven alt-pop jam with Wiley delivering one of his most evocative performances to date. For an artist as young as Wiley, the sound he has established for himself seems cemented. And yet “Blood Orange” finds him tapping into a more expansive and seductive aesthetic. “This is how my music has always strived to sound,” he tells Immersive, and if that’s the case, we should all rejoice that he finally found his true voice.

Having shot the video in New York City (boo!), Wiley from Atlanta connected with director and frequent collaborator Ben Searles to paint this portrait of day-time shots on urban streets to dark rooms filled with red lights and models. Overall, it’s a spellbinding merger of music and expressive filmmaking, and certainly one of the best local efforts we’ve witnessed so far in this young year.

Watch/listen above, and then make sure to read our interview with the artist below.

What was it like transitioning from your last song, “Pink Skies,” to this song?

“Blood Orange” is something I made a year after the “Pink Skies” demo. I felt if I put out “Pink Skies” after my album, it wouldn’t make much sense. With the album having so many live instruments, it would have been weird to have [that song] after it. “Pink Skies” is a summary of what is going on with me in that brief period where I wasn’t dropping music.

Do you think “Blood Orange” is more of a statement on where you are today in your artistry or where you would like to be?

It’s the culmination of a couple of years of growth where I’ve really been pushing myself to try new things. For me, it’s really a cathartic moment. I shot the video in New York. We’ve been sitting on this concept for so long. This is how my music has always strived to sound. I’ve finally hit that sweet spot. I know what I want to create, what I can create. This is the first step in that direction.

How naturally does a song title like that come to you?

It was really organic. It was a situation where I was playing with the hook for a long time. I wrote this little piece: “How you so bitter / But you so sweet / Talking like you know me / Kiss like it’s our first meet.” Kind of this idea of when you love somebody but at the same time, people drift apart and love changes… [“Blood Orange”] is dealing with those emotions. The title came naturally to me. I knew how I wanted the song to sound. Once I had that sound in mind, it was the only title that made sense.

What was the recording process like?

I recorded four different versions of the song pretty much. It was a really rough vocal demo, as a backing track for the small tour I was on last year. I would play the first minute of it. The live version was mostly based around the band and [Sensei] Bueno riffing. The studio version was produced Oliver Blue, Malik Drake, and Ian Pope. It has a lot of peaks and valleys. It’s a strange song. There’s no focus on hooks or verses.

What’s next after this?

I have three more videos. I’m dropping two more singles. I’m dropping my album. This album is the most of myself I’ve ever put into something. Hopefully I can put out this album and another EP at the end of the year.

More Info
Bandcamp: wileyatl.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @wileyatl
Instagram: @wileyatl
SoundCloud: @wileyatl
Twitter: @wileyatl