QEERAN, a Malaysian-born, Chinese-Australian artist based in Melbourne, creates alternative R&B that is vulnerable, cinematic, and deeply personal. As a gay man navigating intense mental illness, his music explores love, obsession, detachment, and self-destruction through whispered vocals and minimalist production. After a transformative hiatus marked by therapy, personal upheaval, and self-reconstruction, QEERAN returned with “CLOSER/HARDER”, blending dark, textured soundscapes with emotional honesty. Influenced by Alina Baraz, Summer Walker, and Sabrina Claudio, his work amplifies queer, Asian, and mentally ill voices.
After nearly two years away from the spotlight, QEERAN returns with “CLOSER/HARDER,” a striking and emotionally charged original single released on 6th February 2026. Serving as his first release since May 2024, the track feels less like a simple comeback and more like a bold reintroduction. Entirely self produced, mixed, and mastered by QEERAN himself, the single reflects a period of emotional upheaval, healing, and self reinvention. It signals a clear sonic evolution, presenting an artist who has taken time to refine not only his sound but also his sense of identity and creative control.
Vocally, QEERAN delivers one of his most introspective performances to date. His voice shifts between breathy intimacy and restrained power, gliding over the minimal instrumentation with precision. The layered harmonies and subtle distortions enhance the sense of instability and seduction, reinforcing the emotional volatility at the heart of the track. He balances control and fragility with striking finesse, allowing listeners to feel both the softness and the storm within the same breath.
Lyrically, the song explores the blurred intersection of intimacy, power, and self reclamation. The writing is elusive yet purposeful, hinting at past betrayals, emotional volatility, and the lingering aftertaste of relationships left unresolved. There is a palpable push and pull between wanting tenderness and surrendering to intensity, reflecting the duality embedded in the title. Themes of vulnerability, sex, control, and emotional need run throughout, aligning with the broader exploration of nightlife, desire, and mental health that shapes his upcoming album. Rather than over explaining, QEERAN allows the production and structure to communicate the emotional rupture, making the experience feel instinctive and lived in.
Musically, “CLOSER/HARDER” is a dark, genre bending alt R&B offering that thrives on tension and contrast. The production is moody and minimal, yet richly textured with warped vocal layers, spacious pads, and subtle synth details that create an immersive atmosphere. Heavy trap drums cut through the haze, grounding the track with a hard hitting edge that complements its sultry tone. The structure is deliberately split, unfolding like a fever dream that is glitchy, confrontational, and raw. A haunting switch up in the final act introduces a key change and a slowed down, haze filled outro, flipping the narrative on its head. This audible split mirrors the emotional fracture QEERAN references, capturing the quiet moment when everything held together begins to give way.
CLOSER/HARDER Lives In The Tension Between Tenderness And Chaos, Capturing The Quiet Collapse Of Control And The Raw Beauty Of Rebuilding Yourself Through Desire.
~ Faithfulness (Dulaxi Team)
In summary, “CLOSER/HARDER” stands as a defining moment in QEERAN’s discography. It is a cohesive, immersive work that blends mood, melody, and emotional depth into a bold two part journey of seduction and transformation. Marking a clear artistic evolution, this single is not just worth hearing but worth experiencing. Step into the world of “CLOSER/HARDER” and experience the tension, intimacy, and evolution QEERAN so boldly unveils.
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