The “Blue Nudes” is a series of work by Henri Matisse made from painted cut-outs depicting nude figures in various positions. Restricted by his physical limitations, Matisse began creating art by cutting and painting sheets of paper. Terence O’Connor is the New Zealand-based musician and producer behind the new project Blue Nude – a project inspired by visual artists like Matisse and Basquiat and shaped as a rebellion against structure and rules.
20 is O’Connor’s debut single featuring a soulful mix of electronic and organic elements and undeniable shades of Frank Ocean. Written as a 20-year-old, it’s an honest and mature conversation between his present and future self about fear and regret. “It’s too late, I hope that you listen,” he sings before launching into a stellar guitar outro and a sudden drop into a delicious slow-mo realm that elevates the track even more.
Speaking on the single, O’Connor says:
“I went through this weird crisis when I was 20. I was broke, living at home, late for everything and stuck in a music degree I felt was slowly sucking my soul away. Stuck in a monotonous loop, I was sick of letting fear control me. I didn’t want to look back on my life an old man and regret all the things I didn’t do because I was too afraid.”