11.5.2019
Single: Hare Squead – “Meeting With Myself” ft. Jay Prince
Vocalists Tony Konstone and Lilo Blues Preach the Importance of Self-Care in the Latest Single from the Irish Group’s Forthcoming EP, Due in Early 2020
Critical Praise:
“Hare Squead are pioneers of a creative boom taking place in Dublin… They have Ed Sheeran’s business savvy, compositional expertise , plus chiselled jaws and puppyish enthusiasm.”- The Guardian
“Blending hip-hop, soul and pop in a way that feels both soothing and full of energy, the results carry some heavy Chance the Rapper and De La Soul vibes with a distinctly Irish twist.” – Noisey
“With a name as unique as Hare Squead, their sound is just as special.” – XXL
“There’s no denying the group’s ascension; in Dublin, Ireland—a city only now becoming known for its hip-hop—Hare Squead is becoming one of its most recognizable acts.” – Pitchfork
The Song:
Bringing an unpredictable energy and deep tunefulness, Irish hip-hop group Hare Squead don’t sound like anything on either side of the Atlantic. Delivering a laid-back jam about staying grounded, Hare Squead shares “Meeting With Myself,” their new single, premiered by Dummy Mag. Defined by syncopated organ swells and jittering hi-hats, the new song highlights the complementary talents of the Hare Squead duo, as Tony Konstone smoothly sings a humble chorus and Lilo Blues brings a distorted auto-tune for his rapidfire verse. Rounded out by a verse from Soulection affiliate Jay Prince, “Meeting With Myself” finds the three emcees stress the importance of trusting your own instincts over the fickle opinions of hangers-on: sings Tony Konstone, “Sometimes you gotta deep that shit yourself/When you got no one to come and tell you yeh yeh/That’s why I try keeping to myself dawg/Ain’t no one fuck with you like yourself yeh yeh yeh.”
“Meeting With Myself” is the Dublin duo’s third standout single of 2019, following February’s “100 Miles,” which boasted a HYPEBEAST-premiered video and earned over 1.2 million Spotify streams, and “Petty (ft. Shauna Shadae & Wusu),” which premiered in Clash Magazine in August. Together, the three singles paint a picture of Hare Squead’s impressive genre fluidity–“100 Miles” is a sweetly-sung acoustic R&B come-on, while “Petty” borrows liberally from dancehall, afropop, and UK rap. “Meeting With Myself,” “100 Miles,” and “Petty” will all appear on Hare Squead’s next EP, arriving on Valentine’s Day 2020.
Blazing a trail for hip-hop in their hometown of Dublin, Ireland, Hare Squead (a duo comprised of Lilo Blues and Tony Konstone) developed a loyal fanbase on both sides of the Atlantic with their eccentric and melodic sound. Praised by the likes of Pitchfork, Noisey, The Guardian, and many others, Hare Squead found the ears of Goldlink in 2017, when he included a remix of their song “Herside Story” on his At What Cost album, generating over 45 million plays on Spotify. In 2017, the group released two acclaimed singles “Flowers” and “Pure,” which earned more than 6 million combined streams on Spotify alone. With a monthly listenership of 860k and prominent placement on Spotify’s influential, multi-genre POLLEN playlist (193k followers), Hare Squead continues to grow their following with their innovative and infectious songs.
Listen to “Meeting With Myself”: http://indpop.fanlink.to/meetingwithmyself
Check out the Dummy Mag Premiere: https://www.dummymag.com/new-music/premiere-hare-squead-jay-prince-meeting-with-myself/
Please contact Michelle or Kierra for more info.
The Background
Way beyond, across the pond, Hare Squead are quickly making a name for themselves. Hip-Hop and Ireland may seem like two points on opposite ends of the spectrum but the now-band of two, comprised of Tony Konstone and Lilo Blues, are imprinted within both worlds and look at themselves as more than just an anomaly. In 2016, the group found success outside of their local scene with “Long Way to Go” and took advantage of that by dropping their Supernormal EP. The standout single off the EP, “Herside Story,” quickly became a favorite, which led to Goldlink including a remix of the group’s song on his At What Cost album in 2017. Combined, “Herside Story” has amassed over 40 million streams on Spotify to-date. Also in 2017, the group released two acclaimed singles “Flowers” and “Pure,” which earned more than 5 million combined streams on Spotify alone. However, as success builds, unexpected turns can arise to derail everything. After an 18-month absence from the spotlight, in February 2019, Hare Squead made their return with “100 Miles,” a bubbly, guitar-driven single that was inspired by the emotional vulnerability of Aretha Franklin’s “I Say a Little Prayer.” The group plans to release two EPs this year and re-introduce themselves to the world as a formidable talent.
Links:
official site | twitter | facebook | soundcloud | instagram | spotify
“Meeting With Myself” ft. Jay Prince: http://indpop.fanlink.to/meetingwithmyself
“Petty” ft. Wusu & Shauna Shondae: https://indpop.fanlink.to/petty
“100 Miles”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dwd85srobUE | https://open.spotify.com/album/2IgwnCEN1pT2NGd0WCBFOe?si=YxWjCJD8RXGm6-D9qM6lpw
“Pure”: https://open.spotify.com/album/4KwGcYRYvAlifOrPiW6li4?si=pztFwT-hRtyaw-B9ZV9DHw
“Flowers”: https://open.spotify.com/album/6219jeryZvGsnVSZj2vQj3?si=uoddrajdRd-aL0gL0jNlRA
“Herside Story” w/ Goldlink: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-zeV_s3bfY
“Herside Story”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXVJTRXgCCg
“If I Ask”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpTOnpd2THI
Supernormal EP: https://open.spotify.com/album/4J6AAwaW46J6REDAPI7x2e