Last week Friday saw the release of a brand new single from Potchefstroom locals, Zebraman. Their first offering of 2023 entitled ‘Hate Love’, is a joyful commentary on the phenomenon of romantic encounters which only last a single night.
The single was written by Johan Viljoen and Jan-Meyer Verhoef in December 2022 while they were sitting on Johan’s balcony. The balcony overlooks a street crawling with student nightlife and the duo were inspired to write about the hookup culture in Potchefstroom where university students only want a romantic partner for a night, and then move on.
Johan Viljoen comments on Zebraman‘s New Track
“’Hate Love’ is about someone who only wants a romantic encounter for a night – what we like to call a ‘sunset lover’, but by the next morning the person has moved on. This person ‘hates love’ because they are afraid of being vulnerable.”
For the first time, the band handed over the production to someone else and the single was recorded by legendary Potchefstroom producer, Ewald Jansen van Rensburg. The result: A light-hearted offering with a dance beat that repeats throughout the song, combined with Johan’s upfront and vulnerable lyrics adding to the message of the song.
Zebraman comments on “Hate Love”
“This track was an ambitious attempt from our side to redefine and explore elements of our sound. We wanted to showcase a difference from our previous music by releasing this song as an example of what will follow.”
“We wanted to make an emotional song more accessible by making everything more simple. We are not trying to overcomplicate matters; instead, we want our audience to really have the opportunity to think about the concept behind the song.”
Anyone who has had struggles with love, the concept of love, or learning to live with love, will relate to ‘Hate Love’ – a single with an honest South African vibe and emotional juxtaposition on offer.
You can stream / download Zebraman‘s “Hate Love” HERE.
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