Auckland singer-songwriter Sabreen Islam has released her super sweet, catchy new single ‘still love you’.
Following on from popular singles ‘you will never see this’, ‘count me out’ and ‘like a movie’, this fresh new offering from Sabreen is about pining for a childhood crush who’s moved on.
“I wrote it sort of making fun of myself,” says Sabreen, “and so it’s a bit of a comical take on not being able to move on from someone. It’s very self-aware and self-deprecating, and I have a lot of fun performing it. The vibe of the track is incredibly fun and upbeat, with themes of youth and high school woven throughout. I wanted it to sound like the feeling of standing on the precipice of childhood and adulthood, and not feeling like you fully fit into either.”
Recorded at Parachute Studios with Sophie Bialostocki, it was then mixed and mastered by Ariki Perana at Poynton Studios. “We recorded tabla for this song, which is a traditional Bangladeshi drum. I really want to start incorporating my culture into my music,” explains Sabreen, who is Muslim, “as the subcontinent I come from has such a rich musical history and is a huge part of who I am. My friend’s dad agreed to play it for me, which was such a special experience. It’s one of the elements I’m the proudest of about this song. It’s the first song where I’ve included a hint of my culture. I’m so excited for people to hear that part of me for the first time.”
Along with releasing ‘still love you’, Sabreen has announced that her debut EP ROOM SERVICE is on its way. “It comes out in March and is a real eclectic mix of all the styles I love. I worked with Sophie Bialostocki to produce the whole EP, and she’s absolutely incredible. I had a blast working with her and can’t wait for people to hear all six songs we did.”
Auckland-raised, Sabreen weaves her signature style with inspirations from the likes of Hozier, Conan Gray and dodie. Her single ‘Glow’ was selected as a semi-finalist in the International Songwriting Competition 2020 and she has performed at Auckland’s popular Others Way Festival. Not only a talented singer-songwriter, Sabreen is also a published poet. In July 2022 she published a critically acclaimed collection of poetry called spring clean. With a debut EP and much more on the horizon for this talented creative, be sure to follow her socials!
Find Sabreen Islam