Spicy “Sriracha”

Sixteen-year-old Berkeley-born singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Marteen Esterez recently released his new single “Sriracha” which can best be described as a melodic piano-rap. “Sriracha” has a very modern, energizing feel to it.

Marteen was born to a Colombian dad and an American mom, and they both encouraged Marteen to pursue his passion of music. He started piano at 10 years old, and then during middle school, he began performing covers on Instagram and building a local fan base.

In 2014, Marteen released his first single “I Wanna”. Through a family friend, Marteen met songwriter Marty James who introduced Marteen to the producer J.R. Rotem. Marteen and Rotem formed a quick bond and released Marteen’s first mix tape “Focused” in 2016, which consists of the songs “Want It All”, “High”, “Try”, “Draymond”, “Yeah”, “Pull Up” and “Funny”. Rotem opened Marteen’s eyes to other styles of music, and in 2017, Marteen signed with the label Warner Bros. Records.

Marteen’s latest single “Sriracha” is very upbeat compared to his other songs where his voice sounds smoother and softer. But in “Sriracha”, his voice doesn’t sound like a 16-year-old boy. His voice is deep, and it sounds like a man’s. Also, his previous songs seemed to be more pure and innocent, and they don’t include rap like “Sriracha” does. This song showcases what some call Marteen’s spicy, slick and soulful style. Marteen describes his music as “a modern take on nineties R&B with a little Bay Area edge.”

“Sriracha” is about a teenage boy who is telling his girl how hot she is and comparing her to the hot sauce: “Girl you got a body like Sriracha.” Not only is the single about physical appearances, but Marteen also talks about a girl that is confident, different and has a positive attitude by saying “You the wild type/That’s what I like.”

Some of the lyrics are a little sexual, which not all listeners will like, but despite the lyrics, his song presents an energizing and engaging tune. After listening to the song, the catchy phrases still play through the mind. If you are trying to wake up in the morning, dance, workout or just want to get pumped up, “Sriracha” is a great song.

Many teenagers love rap, so “Sriracha” is a great song for them to download onto their phones and put into a playlist. Nothing about “Sriracha” is unusual compared to other rap songs–the beat is energizing, and it includes some similar themes to many rap songs.

Marteen has a wide vocal range making him able to sing all different kinds of music. He has lots of talent, as present in his songs, and should go far in his career as a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist.