“Honest” sees Congee fondly look upon the power of his family

Congee’s “Honest” is a touching tribute to his family and the strength he draws from them, set to a soothingly catchy melody. Dominated by a chorus originally written following the loss of his grandpa, it's a gently poignant song about weathering the hardest times with support from those closest to you. Discussing the song’s influences, Congee comments, “I wrote "Honest" for my nana. I wrote the chorus years ago after my granddad’s passing. I’ve always found it a comforting thought that he’s up there somewhere watching over us.”

“Honest” arrives with a video (shot by Congee himself) that reinforces these ideas of the value of family ties. The video documents Congee’s father going about his daily routine. It's a simple concept that might appear every day, but when paired with Congee’s introspective sound, the result is full of feeling. We see his father lifting makeshift weights in the garden, spending time with family and putting out the washing, resulting in something tender and sincere.

Reflecting on the video, Congee comments “I think it’s because his dad (my grandad) would always film the family with his camera. I’ve always found routines very interesting. I thought I’d show what my dad’s routine looked like.” Congee’s father wears an outfit also made by his son and seems to have enjoyed starring in the video, “I wanted him to look and feel like a superstar going about his normal day…the more we got into the filming, the more he got into the role-playing himself. He would tell me to stop filming so he could re-do parts and even directed some scenes.”

Congee’s previous release “Be Alright” is a heartfelt song that considered the language barriers between him and his mother, and Congee’s upcoming EP Kwong (out 20 May) continues with this theme of family. “Kwong is the start of a world I’ve been wanting to create for a long time,” he comments. “It's a collection of songs mostly about my family. I'm so excited for everyone to hear and see it all.” Dissatisfied with the stilted collaboration of zoom calls, Congee has written, produced and recorded the bulk of Kwong himself - it's a similarly introspective EP, dealing in the same lo-fi and alt-pop sounds we’ve heard so far.

Congee has already lent his production and collaborative skills to the likes of Ed Sheeran, Fred Again and Sigrid but “Honest” indicates that this is the moment for Congee's own artistic project and that it will be just as compelling.