FRIDAY NIGHT CRU drops debut EP

Jamaican duo FRIDAY NIGHT CRU is offering an introduction to their multi-genre style of music on their debut EP, Welcome to Friday.

The project premièred on Friday with two tracks, 876 and Come Gimmie, along with accompanying visuals that flaunt their diversity in sound and visual storytelling.

“With Welcome To Friday, we were looking at the best way to showcase our sound and vision to the listeners,” KinDah, one-half of FRIDAY NIGHT CRU, said. “We thought of doing a five-song EP, but believed a two-song project would be easier for new fans to sit and listen to. We love both of these songs, as they show the best sides of us.”

Produced by Ramoon & Ransom, 876 is an infectious blend of pop, Latin, Afrobeats and rap, delivered with smoky, sexy vocals about their irresistible charm. The visuals features a slew of dancing belles, complementing the party vibe of the song.

THE ‘RIGHT TIME’

“This song was written back in mid-2019, and we were ultimately waiting for the right time to present it,” Dash D told The Gleaner. “I guess the ‘right time’ is the irony of life telling us we need to get back on our feet and party again; obviously, with pandemic protocols in place.”

As for Come Gimmie, it features Runkus and singer Truvi, and offers a slower pace and visuals of island life and flirty beach lovers. It was produced by Trackmaster Beatz.

“We needed a parallel sound to go with 876, something you can listen to on a drive to the beach,” Dash D said. “As for features, Runkus is our long-time friend who has always been there for us, so he was a natural fit. The story of how I came across Truvi was more along [the lines of] luck or destiny. I was enjoying my vacation at a hotel which she was at also, and her song was playing. I just approached her manager then and there and [got] her info. I messaged KinDah that very night and said, ‘She’s gonna be on this new song we’re doing’. At that time, we hadn’t even written Come Gimme yet.”

Welcome to Friday comes after KinDah spent a year in Spain studying music business at Berklee College of Music. The duo, whose last release was Enough, featuring Jane Macgizmo, in March, thought it best to wait until KinDah’s return to add the finishing touches to the EP and release it to the world. They hope Jamaicans will identify with the songs in their quest to grow their fan base, while maintaining their international appeal.

“I think, through the connections and awareness we’ve created through our sound and visuals; our brand keeps expanding,” KinDah said. “We’ve met a lot of milestones so far, and much more untouched. We have a lot more music and content to present in the near future, and would just want to say thanks for the support from everyone who has listened. Go and watch our videos for these two songs on YouTube.”

Their moniker, FRIDAY NIGHT CRU, is an ode to the highly anticipated, fun yet unpredictable nature of Fridays, which their brand embodies. Damani ‘Dash D’ Gardner and Djavan ‘KinDah’ Warner have been best friends since the fifth grade at Kingston’s Mona Preparatory School. They decided to embark on a musical journey together after progressing to different high schools and released their debut recording, Monáe, in 2018. They have since expanded their catalogue with songs such as Brown Shugas, Fever, Date Night and Follow My Lead.