The Sound of Escape: Xeren Lia on Vulnerability, Vision, and “I WANNA GO”
- STAFF
- Jun 16
- 9 min read
By: Staff
With vocals that shimmer and production that pulses with dreamlike tension, Xeren Lia’s “I WANNA GO” pulls you deep into a soundscape of escape and confession.
A new track just dropped, and it stopped us in our tracks.
With vocals that shimmer through layers of texture and emotion, Xeren Lia brings a quiet intensity that pulls you into his world without warning.
“I WANNA GO” is an emotional detour through hazy synths, warped guitars, and raw storytelling. It’s electronic and dreamy, but there’s grit in the edges and heartbreak in the details. The track hums with longing and contradiction—it’s both escape and confession.
The pairing of Xeren Lia’s voice with the song’s lush, glitchy soundscape is nothing short of mesmerizing. Every element feels handcrafted to highlight his vulnerability and vision.
After experiencing the track, we knew we had to reach out.
We wanted to dig deeper into the process, the meaning, and the emotions wrapped inside “I WANNA GO.”
What followed was an honest, inspiring conversation with an artist who’s shaping a world entirely his own.
Dive into our interview with the mind behind “I WANNA GO.”
Begin Interview:
Hello Xeren Lia, we’re thrilled to have you here for this interview! We've had an amazing time exploring your music and diving into your creative journey. Now, we’re even more intrigued to get a deeper look into both your brand and your personal and professional inspirations.
Q. What inspired you to choose the name Xeren Lia as your artist persona? How does it reflect the connection you want to build with your fans, and what personal significance does it hold for you?
A. It’s a little embarrassing if I’m completely honest hahah. One of my like all time favorite video games is Kingdom Hearts and in the story there’s this group called Organization XIII. Basically in the group everyone’s real name has been changed by adding in the letter X and rearranging the rest of the letters. So like Sora becomes Roxas, Lea becomes Axel, Ansem becomes Xemnas etc etc. In my case Rene becomes Xeren, and then Lia sounds close to my real last name so I just stuck with that. People say the name is cool so I guess that’s good. The name reflects the geeky stuff I’m into so hopefully my fans can relate to those things. Also If it wasn’t for Yoko Shimomura and her composing all the amazing music Kingdom Hearts had to offer then I definitely wouldn’t have picked up the piano, which means I definitely wouldn’t be here right now making music. That game believe it or not was the reason I fell in love and had a passion for music at such a young age. That’s why the name is personally significant for me.
Q. We previously experienced and reviewed your last song “SUMMER LIES” and we absolutely loved it. "SUMMER LIES" was driven by explosive alt-rock energy, but "I WANNA GO" leans into a more electronic, dreamy sound. What made you want to pivot in this direction? Was it a conscious choice or something more instinctual?
A. I’ve always found that my sound is a mix bag of a lot genres and influences. It was 100% a conscious choice with this single, I just wanted to lean more into my alt pop side. I love and listen to all genres of music so I wanted to showcase I can do something that isn’t an aggressive rock song. Some of my favorite artists are people who can pull off multiple genres while still maintaining their “sound”. If people are confused and can’t really put me in a box then that’s a win in my eyes.
Q. This song blends distorted guitars, electronic beats, and vocal samples into one intense experience. What came first in your process: lyrics, mood, or the beat? How did the rest fall into place?
A. Every song has a different process and order with me. I know with this song the acoustic guitar chords you hear throughout the whole song came first, then the triphop uk garage beat came next. With just those 2 layers I could kinda grasp the mood of the song so far. With the busy drum beat it’s like your constantly on the move. However the guitar chords are kinda self reflective and telling you to think about why you’re moving. Like what’s the point, where are you going, is it even worth it? Then everything breaks apart on the chorus with the 4 on the floor punchy kick and snare and 808 bass. It’s kinda like that “I’m finally free” moment. The lyrics for the verses and hook came easy once the mood was there.
Q. Where did the idea for the glitchy acoustic guitar in the background come from? What made you decide to chop it up the way you did?
A. I have to thank Roy Blair and the chorus in his song “Strawberry”. It just gave it a better groove and didn’t feel so stale once I chopped up the acoustic guitar. It ended up complimenting pretty well with the main beat. Luckily haha.
Q. What emotions were you hoping to evoke with “I WANNA GO”? How do you hope listeners connect with those themes of restlessness and escape?
A. That feeling when you look out a car window with the windows down, it’s like dusk and the breeze is cool. You’re just reflecting on everything, you’re whole life really, both good and bad. While all of that is happening in your head your thinking of that special place. What that place is who knows right. For someone it could be a person. For someone else it could be a dream. “I wanna go” can mean you want to leave something behind or you want to go somewhere. Maybe in someone’s case they have to lose something or an important person to gain what they really want in life. That’s why the main hook is repeated so many times cause it’s such a strong phrase.
Q. You mentioned recording and producing everything using only an iPhone 12. What limitations did that bring, or did it feel like freedom from the studio experience?
A. At this point it’s like the only thing I know haha. I’ll always voice strongly how ideas and talent matter more than expensive gear or an expensive studio. Weirdly enough it never really brings limitations recording on my phone. I hope I don’t feel the studio experience in a looong time. Maybe once I’m signed to like Atlantic Records or something. I enjoy just walking around my house and singing into my iPhone to record. Feels very free and natural to do it.
Q. The lyrics in “I WANNA GO” feel personal and heavy. Did writing and recording the song help you process that past relationship? Or did it stir those feelings back up?
A. So the song was written during that past relationship now 3+ years ago. During the time it was very personal & heavy. Just cause it was a tug of war of like, “I know this relationship isn’t good for me”fighting with “but I’ve been trying for so long to make it better”. So the verses are pretty simple to translate into that kinda “ahhh we’re not gonna make it” feeling. It goes back to that I wanna break free theme. Only this time it’s like the person doesn’t know whether or not they should go. Deep down they want to, or they want to be taken to an imaginary place where everything is perfect and everything does work out with the same person. Either way, I’m happy to say that in 2025 I’ve never been as happy as I am now with my current relationship now going on 2 years!! Funny enough when I was finishing up the last touches of the song this year I didn’t even think about that past relationship even though I was listening to it like multiple times a day during the mixing process. Kinda proud about that, time always has a funny way of healing itself.
Q. From visual collaborators to final mastering, how did everyone involved elevate your original vision for this song into the final product?
A. I can’t thank enough that I live in such a talented city like Houston. The scene here is super strong and talented all the way through in all areas. I hit up this guy Alessandro who is a photographer about this crazy idea with shooting at the airport. We went around midnight taking photos for about 2 hours inside the terminals, I know the workers thought we were crazy and weird for sure. Also the people coming in getting their luggage definitely gave me looks when I was dancing around and trying to blend in with the crowd. It came out perfect with the vision I had in my head with having a suitcase by your side and wanting to catch a plane to somewhere you’ve never been before. The song trailer was a cool idea that my friend King and I came up with. He had some meta glasses so we shot like a POV video of like me on FaceTime begging this girl for forgiveness while she’s at the airport either about to catch a flight or coming home from a flight.
Q. You mentioned artists like Porter Robinson, George Clanton, and Roy Blair as major influences. Which specific qualities from each of them inspired your choices on this track?
A. My first official Porter Robinson album was ‘Nurture’ and that album was like wow. The indie electronic approach he had with the whole project was so fresh. Each song also had themes of like wanting more and reflection so his energy and songwriting in that album definitely shaped the song. Especially that euphoric feeling in the chorus with the high pitched vocal samples. With George Clanton it would definitely have to be the drums throughout the whole song. That triphop electronic beat with the shakers and percussions definitely came from him. With Roy Blair I think it’s more the way he sings? How raw and genuine he sounds in all his lyrics and of course the topics he sings about.
Q. You’ve spoken about creating a bigger world through your music. How does “I WANNA GO” fit into that universe? Are there more chapters coming?
A. A lot of chapters… book series almost. I mean I’ve always been a big fan of albums and artists creating entire story’s through their music. “I WANNA GO” fits into the universe of the first album I plan on releasing this year. It’s the “damn life is hard” chapter. Actually almost every chapter is kinda like that hahah.
Q. Which part of this song do you think best represents who you are as an artist right now?
A. As an artist right now?? I’d say the chorus cause I’m now at a point where I do feel free and I know exactly what I’m going after.
Q. What was the most difficult moment in bringing this single to life, from the first idea to final release? How did you push through?
A. I mean the most difficult part is always not having enough time to really work on it and polish it as quickly as I’d like. Towards the end of having it finally be ready was actually more difficult than the beginning because of all the ideas I had with the photoshoot and short music video. Just trying to find the right people, accommodating with people’s schedules, having days be cancelled was rough and took a lot of patience. In the end though it all worked out.
Q. Do you find your creative energy thrives more in moments of personal chaos? Or does it come when you’re in a grounded place mentally and emotionally?
A. Honestly it sucks to say this but I truly think the best art comes out during really bad stressful times. So hard agree on personal chaos. Not to say you can’t make good art when you’re happy and everything in life is perfect. I’m just saying me personally that’s when I’ve felt my most honest with my music.
Q. If a dream collaboration became possible tomorrow, what artist or producer would you want to work with to evolve this sound even further?
A. That’s tough cause I like so many different artists for so many different reasons. If I had to pick I’d say Jean Dawson. Not to only evolve this song but to help evolve my entire sound. He’s so good at tackling whatever genre he decides to make while still making it distinct to him. That’s the point I’m trying to get at. Like oh it’s an R&B song but it’s a Xeren Lia R&B song. But anyway yeah all his albums are 10’s in my opinion.
Q. We can't thank you enough for sharing these intimate details! So, what's next? Can you give us the inside scoop on your upcoming projects and what fans should be excited about? We'd love to be the first to share the news!
A. Up next is the last single coming out in July and then releasing this album I’ve been working on for the past 4 years really. A lot of time has passed and a lot has changed with the songs and with me as a person. It’s definitely a journey from beginning to end and I’m excited to share that journey with the world. Hopefully it comes out before September, that’s like the ideal goal. After that’s released I have this electronic focused EP I really want to share by the end of this year. I’m trying to make 2025 my like “oh shit he’s really about this music shit” year haha. Hopefully I get to play my first show this year too that would be crazy.
Xeren Lia, thank you so much, we appreciate you taking the time to talk to us!
End Interview
We’re happy to have shared Xeren Lia’s exciting journey with you and uncovered such inspiring insights about their creative process.
Now, click the links below to experience their incredible work firsthand!
