+39 by Onnah

One of my fav works as Music Producer and Musician

Onnah came in with the idea for the first verse over two piano chords — nothing more, nothing less, but it was a pure idea, ready to take off.

After refining the chord progression together on the piano, we started picking instruments that could evoke fragility and elegance. A harp, a detuned synth acting as a bed, some violins on tape carrying a sense of nostalgia, and the piano marking out the rhythmic pattern, then followed by a warm sub and very slow drums.

But the real turning point comes in the second half of the track. A drastic shift in emotion, moving from an intimate tone to something open and energetic. We brought back that crazy Tyler, the Creator style while still keeping the feminine soul of SZA. Drums and synths had to dance together to create this constant back-and-forth — and that's how the whole song came together.

"+39" is, to me, the perfect example of when the producer and the artist become one, in the music and in the idea itself.