Star2 is eager to snuggle up with you in December, his romantic new single and video — premiering exclusively on Tinnitist.
A sweetly sincere track about the uncertainty of new love and what it’s like to miss that special someone, December balances its wintry title with a warm reggae-pop vibe. The musical arrangement is sparse yet effective at creating an emotional landscape for the song, topping its flowing groove with a steel drum/music box synth, piano and strings.
“I’m a big Bob Marley fan,” explains Star2. “We wanted something almost like a reggae lullaby. The main melody would be something like what you’d hear coming from a music box on your dresser — except with steel drums, and accompanied by an orchestra.”
Star2’s voice, the centrepiece of the song, retains its trademark urban heart over the pulse of the reggae-flavored beat. His voice pleads and pleas — his yearning for his girl is palpable and familiar to anyone who has ever been in love. The moral of the story: Never give up — true love has a happy ending! At least, it does in December’s charming, Christmas-themed video.
“I thought it would be a dope record to release for the holidays, so for the video shoot, we rented a winter cabin in Lake Arrowhead,” Star2 shares. “I didn’t know a place like Lake Arrowhead existed so close to L.A.! The drive up into the San Bernardino Mountains was breathtaking … You feel like you are literally on top of the world! Then you see the lake and it’s just so incredibly beautiful! Like something out of a movie. We woke up super-early and did an all-day shoot. My favorite part was performing on the boat dock with the camera/drone flying past. Lake Arrowhead is a small community and we were definitely the talk. All eyes were on us.”
Of course, that’s nothing new for Star2. The Asian-American singer, songwriter and rapper is garnering plenty of attention for his seamless blend of pop, R&B and hip-hop. Raised in inauspicious circumstances, Star2 channels his life struggles into music that is bold, high-spirited and soulful. Born into a refugee camp in Thailand, he and his family walked over 500 miles through the jungle to escape Burmese soldiers who burned their village. After moving to San Diego at age six with his grandmother, he was overwhelmed by the western world. Music became his solace, and as a teen he began to rap, sing, write and perform, quickly developing a sound brimming with winning hooks and rich harmonies. Since 2020, the Star2 has captivated audiences with a series of singles, including the heartbreak ballad I Wanna Get F’d Up and the gritty Real Life, which chronicles his experiences growing up in inner-city poverty.
Watch December above, hear more from Star2 below, and follow him on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
