AZRÆYIL’s story is one of reckoning and hopeful return. On a musical hiatus since 2019, the talented American troubadour has now found the motivation and the willingness to step into writing again, releasing ‘War’ to anyone out there keen to listen. We are indeed keen to listen: A gentle, soothing and evocative piece, the record is also heavily cinematic, creating a tapestry of textures and melodic percussions with a high degree of cathartic energy.
Boasting buoyant, honey-like vocals and beautiful melodies, AZRÆYIL is the perfect match for such a vibrant track. His meaningful, nostalgic lyricism touches on themes of grief and perseverance, showcasing AZRÆYIL’s deep introspection and informed resilience. We suspect the song will connect with any suffering soul out there, acting as a gentle, positive artistic work.
Intrigued by the project, we caught up with the American songwriter to learn more about his artistry and future goals… Interview below!
Hey AZRÆYIL, how’s it going? It’s great to see you back with new music after a very long hiatus. Where have you been all this time? What motivated you to release music again?
Thank you, it’s great to be back. It has been a long time, shortly after I released my EP, I was already in this weird place with music where I lacked a lot of confidence. That lack of confidence was detrimental to me releasing anything else and had me chasing perfection for years.
I think what motivated me to come back was really just being in a better place with myself. I’ve worked hard over the years to gain the confidence needed, and I feel like it’s time. I have people around me whom I love and cherish, and their support has been the backbone to my development.
‘War’ is the perfect comeback effort, in our opinion. Poignant, vulnerable and soothing, the record provides a stunning and introspective listening experience. What’s the main message behind it?
Thank you, those are very kind words! I wrote this song in honour of my grandfather, who passed away in 2015. I had a lot of regret after his passing that I had to learn to navigate through. I came to a crossroads where I could either wallow in what I thought I deserved or try to live a life that my gramps could be proud of. It was an obstacle, a constant war.
I hope that listeners or fans of mine can find their own meaning and interpretation to it, but I would say that this song is about leaning into the side of yourself that has hope. No matter how hard it can be.
Is ‘War’ representative of the direction AZRÆYIL will be taking in the future? Is it an accurate representation of your artistic ethos?
The beauty of music is that it allows for an artist to tell stories in numerous amounts of ways. Each song as its own story to tell and it’s my job to convey that in a way that resonates with people and does the song justice. I think that the emotion and the atmosphere you get from my song is certainly what you’ll hear from my future releases. But perhaps you’ll be able to bop your head to my next one haha.
Are there any contemporary artists that inspired you in getting back to music making?
Oh, of course, I am inspired by so many talented and successful artists. If I had to list one or two, I would say one would be Tame Impala. I listened to their ‘The Slow Rush’ album and just wanted to get home and start producing. Jon Bellion is the second one; he just released a single – ‘WASH’ – the other day. I smile at the fact that we’re releasing close to each other because he was a huge inspiration to my music from 2015 and beyond.
Do you feel more confident writing music alone or within a team?
I’ve participated in many recording sessions with fellow artists and engineers, but when it comes to my writing and production, I have always done that on my own. I would say I do feel a little more comfortable doing that part by myself, but I am not opposed to working with others on that end as well. I like team-ups lol!
The world has changed a lot since 2019. Do you believe music can help us deal with the gloomy reality many of us are facing nowadays? We also suspect you might now feel more mature and experienced…?
It indeed has, there are also so many people all over the world in pain. However, I believe it’s during these times that we’re most open to coming together. Music is a great way to achieve that. I have been to so many concerts where I have met fantastic people from all over the globe. We have different backgrounds, cultures, sometimes even miles of water between us, but we can come together and share in a common love of an artist, song, or message.
I do feel more mature than back then for sure; I’ve gotten older, and I’ve experienced life a little more. The good and the bad. Music is all about experiences, mine, yours, and everyone’s. It can teach us to be kinder, to see the world a little more colourful than just black and white, to think maybe I’m not alone.
Artistically speaking, what challenges have the last two years presented you with?
One of my biggest challenges has always been knowing when to walk away from something and be satisfied with that. When it comes to music, like I said earlier, I chase perfection. To me, a track might never be good enough. I’ve learned how toxic a mentality that is to my artistry, and that I can’t go by that anymore. I had to give myself some grace and understand that life is a learning experience in all its forms. Once, I really believed that I could finally move on.
What are the next steps for your project? Anything exciting on the horizon?
I am excited to keep promoting ‘War’ and getting it out there to whoever will listen, but I am also excited to release more music. I have songs in the works currently that will release shortly after this track. I am honestly in a great place and have been making amazing memories with my loved ones, so I am truly just grateful and happy to share that side of myself in the future.
