Oya Paya have faced unbelievable hurdles together.
Ashwin, Maxime and Saam formed in Liverpool, placing left field art ideas in tandem with some delicious pop-edged songwriting.
But then the authorities intervened. Ashwin ran into visa issues, and was forced to return to his native Singapore, making live shows for the project nigh-on impossible.
Press shots use projections of his face, a sign that in spite of the distance between them Oya Paya remain, essentially, united.
New single 'Why?' is out shortly, and it emerged from the tumultuous period after Ashwin being forced to leave the UK.
“Being separated felt like having the future of the band stripped away from us, but from the ashes of frustration we have this song,” the group explain, “'Why?' emerged in the few weeks after Ashwin headed back home. The overall mood of the track reflects how terrible we all felt at the time. We could've sat around and asked ourselves why these bad things happen but instead chose to get off our butts and make a song about it.”
“We made use of the only thing that still connected us (the internet) and started piecing tunes together across continents. It’s meant to resonate with anybody who’s ever felt lonely and isolated. It’s a convoluted way of asking life 'why' does it have to be so difficult? The fruits of our labour have helped us understand that it’s not impossible.”
Blistering pop with a buoyant feel, 'Why?' has an uplifting sense of empowerment that gets under your skin.
Tune in now.
Photo Credit: Audun Laading
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