‘I Got You’ by Hariz Video Premiere: The Honey POP Exclusive

Twenty-three years old, and 3 million Spotify streams later, it’s more than obvious why you should be listening to Hariz. If you haven’t yet gotten to check out his marvelous artistry, well do we have some exciting news for you. Premiering exclusively for the FIRST time is the official lyric video for ‘I Got You’ by Hariz. PLUS an ultra-also-exclusive interview with the man behind the music.

Co-written with Chris Wallace of Young Skeptics (ASAP Ferg, Rich the Kid, Madison Beer, Meghan Trainor), the video is an ode to Vegas using a comic book feel. A sweet lil’ pop jam for fans of Lauv, FRND, or Kygo.

LISTEN NOW:

As promised, we also are here to deliver a sick interview with Hariz and our THP team! Check out what he had to say as we pick his brains, and ask him questions about the newest release.

THP Exclusive Q & A

You’ve been playing music from a young age, winning many awards in your teens. Who was the one who pushed you to start playing music? 

I owe it all to my Kindergarten teacher actually!

No one in my family ever pushed me towards music, it was just something I loved from an early age. My teacher noticed that I had musical talent so she told my parents that they should enroll me in piano lessons and it all started there! 

We STAN good teachers, piano players, and Hariz

What was the first instrument you’ve played, and do you still play it? And do you have a favorite instrument? 

My first instrument was the piano and it will always be my first love! Of course I still play it; I even consider myself a piano nerd, if I walk into someone’s house or a hotel or restaurant that has a piano, I have to play it, like no joke, I HAVE to. Over the years I also learned guitar and drums, but my favorite still is piano.

Life Is A Gamble, We’re All Hoping To Hit The Lotto

This video for ‘I Got You’ has a gambling/lottery theme to it. Can you explain where this idea came from? Do you feel like relationships are like gambling? 

I worked with my video editor to come up with the gambling concept for the lyric video. We talked about the meaning of the song and it just fit perfectly – Life itself is a giant gamble. We all do our best to make the best choices, whether in relationships, jobs, etc., but life doesn’t always turn out the way you want it to. Although, we all have that one person in our life that if you had nothing else but them, you’d be completely fine. So win or lose, you’ve already essentially hit the jackpot because you have them. They are your “I got you.”

Life is a gamble, but we got you, and so does Hariz

What was it like to work with Chris Wallace on this new single? How did the writing process go? What was the recording process like?

Chris is a great guy and a really talented writer. It’s really funny actually, we met for the very first time in the writing session for this song and our styles just clicked! I remember we wrote the song super-fast, I think in less than an hour. Then we laid down a rough vocal and had a feeling that it was a bop. But for some reason, I don’t know why, it sat in my song “vault” for about 2 years. Then randomly I played it one day, and was like, “Why didn’t I put this out?!” So I re-recorded the vocals, spruced up the production a bit, and here we are today. 

Hariz: A Voice For All Those Unheard

 You’ve been quoted saying, “So many people don’t feel heard. As long as you can feel heard in my songs, that’s all I’m asking for.” What do you hope people can resonate with and relate to in this song?

That even when life hits hard, especially during times like we see today, we still have our “I got you.” Whether it’s your parents, a friend, significant other, or even your dog! The you in “I got you” is a placeholder for every listener to fill in personally. “When I feel like I got nothing left, I got ___”. For me it’s my best friend Antoine. (Love ya bro!) Even if that someone is thousands of miles away, just the thought of them can brighten up your day. They are truly the most priceless thing on this planet, because they truly give unconditional love. 

Are there any specific music artists that have inspired you throughout the years?

This is always one of the hardest questions I answer! Yes totally, I’m a huge 70’s- 80’s fan from the Bee Gees, Eagles, Lionel Richie, Kenny Rogers, Fleetwood Mac, Aerosmith, you name it! I also grew up in a golden age of pop influence with Maroon 5, Usher, Rihanna, JT- So it’s hard to pin down exact artists, because pretty much every artist’s journey and projects gave me little inspirations! 

Cameos, Camilla Cabello, & Cardi B

At only 23 years old you have a whole career ahead of you, what are some things on your career bucket list? Any big collabs or projects you’re interested in? 

The biggest goal I have right now is to sell out a stadium tour! I know that it’s a reach right now, but I’m just taking one step at a time to get there. On the collab side, I would love to do something with Camila Cabello, or maybe something fun with Cardi B! But overall I just want to use my platform, voice, and music to spread love and understanding, I think we all need a little more of that in our lives. 

 You recently made a little cameo in Weezer’s latest video, what was that like? Are you a fan of the band?

It’s pretty cool to be a part of that project, especially in the time we’re in now, it’s a small thank you to everyone who put their own lives on the line to save us. Plus, I grew up screaming “Beverly Hills, that’s where I wanna be!” out of the car window, so I think I would say I’m a fan!

Post Pandemic Plans For Hariz

Is there anything you’re especially excited about once the COVID-19 pandemic is over? 

There are sooooo many things, but playing shows is definitely at the top of the list. I miss the energy of being on stage. Writing and producing are always fun, and doing IG lives and other at home performances are great too, but there’s nothing that compares to the connection and the vibe of live shows. 

Care to share the top three tracks on your Spotify at the moment? 

For sure! I’ll do it in a little countdown-

So at number three is This City” by Sam Fischer. Absolutely love his vocals. We met in a couple of writing sessions a few years ago, and besides being a talented writer, he’s a really down to earth guy!

Two is “In Your Eyes” by The Weeknd. Every song by him is a total banger, but this one just gives me the chills every time I sing along to it. 

And at the top of my list for sure is “Break My Heart” by Dua Lipa. I love the fact that her whole Future Nostalgia album is very 70’s influenced, and this specific song is just the perfect mix of that and where pop music is going now.

A Big Thank You

Is there anything you’d like to add?

A big thank you to everyone who’s been supporting me throughout the years. You guys are the reason I love doing what I do! And for those who haven’t heard the new song yet, go stream “I Got You” now!

You heard the man! Stream that shit now!

Are you loving the song? Let us know down in the comments below or by tweeting us @TheHoneyPOP!

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Featured Image Source: Sam Fischer