Selections: Qrion

When Qrion released her debut album ‘I Hope It Lasts Forever’ in 2021 things seemingly couldn’t have been better. She received widespread critical acclaim, won awards and titles. But behind the scenes, the Japan-born, US-based rising star was struggling with addiction and depression. Originally inspired to follow music by her jazz pianist father and classical music- loving mother, when she was 18, her dad died just as her music career was beginning to take off.

She channeled her grief into her art, but over time began to rely on it, and her depression grew. Years later, when her debut album was so celebrated, she felt she’d reached her pinnacle and couldn’t improve. Her coping mechanisms led to several hospitalisations, cancelled shows, and eventually rehab. Now her struggles and ultimate recovery have become the basis of her new album ‘We Are Always Under The Same Sky’, arriving in January via Anjunadeep.

“Making music feels almost like exposure therapy for me,” she tells DJ Mag. “I’m not great at communicating with people through words, but through music, it feels natural and organic. Expressing my feelings has been a crucial part of my recovery. Over the past three years of struggling with addiction, there have been so many ups and downs. Making music has been one of the tools I use to process my emotions, along with recreating memories through sound.”

‘We Are Always…’ takes Qrion’s established progressive sound to new heights, utilising hardware and instrumentation from studio sessions in London to create a richer, fuller sound. “I think my first album conveyed colder, sadder, and lonelier emotions,” says Qrion. “In contrast, this second one feels like my ‘awakening moment’. Realising that I needed to forgive myself and learn to overcome challenges deeply influenced the sound and tone of this project.”

Full of heartwarming synth swells and uplifting vocals, it can be an album to get lost in on a comfy sofa or on a long journey, but with plenty of gripping melodies and reach-for-the-lasers moments it’s also firmly rooted in the dancefloor.

“I think my ultimate goal in making and releasing music is to become a small part of your lives,” she says when we ask what she hopes fans gain from listening to it. “It’s so beautiful how music can preserve specific memories, with each person attaching different moments to the same song. I hope my songs can become part of the soundtrack to your life, and that when you listen to them, you’ll cherish and adore those unforgettable moments.”

Ahead of the release of ‘We Are Always Under The Same Sky’ on 17th January, Qrion spotlights progressive club treats, tech-house hybrids, dub experiments and more. Dive in below.