Since 2020, Australian artist Oliver Cronin has been building a solid foundation for his budding music career. With support on Australian radio and extensive songwriting sessions in LA, he quickly became an artist to watch. Last year was Oliver’s breakout year, as he released his debut EP, Beautiful Nightmare, which contained the hit single “Boys Don’t Cry.” The track now has over 5 million streams. As he continues to grow and develop, he takes to TikTok for inspiration, the social media platform serving as the starting point for tracks on his For Now… EP and recent release “Speed Bump.” Keen to follow up the release of “Speed Bump,” Oliver gives us “I Need You” with Lil Xxel.
A warm departure from the dark pop sound Oliver has crafted with past projects, “I Need You” brings us somewhere tropical and comforting. It radiates a carefree energy through the vibrant rhythms and soaring vocals, offsetting the desperation that is prevalent in the lyrics. Both Lil Xxel and Oliver team up to give us a story about secretly wanting someone back after a breakup. They claim, “Nobody needs to know” about this desire, trying hard to play it cool. You can check it out in the docu-style music video below.
Telling us more about “I Need You,” Oliver shares,
“Me and Xxel made this last November, the very first time we linked up in LA. We wanted to make a song that people could cry to but also dance to at the same time. The track is about the memories of a past relationship and regretting how things ended up; it’s kind of an ‘I want you back’ type song.”
Meanwhile, Lil Xxel explains,
“Creating this song with Oliver became an outlet for our emotions. A way to sort of process the depth of our feelings and articulate the magnitude of love we each once had for a person. Each word, each note carries the weight of our longing, echoing the emptiness we feel without them by our side. It’s a raw, heartfelt expression of our yearning to rekindle our lost love.”
In April, Oliver was profiled by Rolling Stone Australia, which tapped into more of his artistic journey. Spending a week with Oliver, they captured moments when he recorded in John Legend’s studio, grabbed dinner at one of Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s favorite restaurants, and attended a Lakers game. All the while, he talked about his influences, upcoming projects, and his overall goals. You can check it out here.
You can listen to “I Need You” on platforms like Spotify, SoundCloud, and Apple Music.
Keep up with Oliver Cronin: Instagram // Facebook // TikTok // YouTube // Website
Keep up with Lil Xxel: Instagram // Facebook // Twitter // TikTok // YouTube // Website
