Over a reverb-laden bass line heavily inspired by post-punk legends like The Cure, London-based producer and artist, Aziya shares a poignant message through her single, “atomic,” arguing that finding love in 2023 demands courage and a willingness to dive into the deep end, risking discomfort or potential heartache to find the right fit.
Aziya’s writing sheds light on a seemingly vicious cycle; one perpetuated by her fear of being unable to find love, and her subsequent attempts to either find security or bury her thoughts in superficial connections and, occasionally, meaningless hookups.
It’s a dilemma one can certainly relate to in the age that finds us very much so at the mercy of AI and algorithms, it seems only natural to crave something that feels organic and natural, and that allows us to feel as though we’ve broken free of the boxes imposed upon us.
Having grown up listening to artists like Prince and Patti Smith, and then later on, drawing inspiration from Blondie, Talking Heads, and Brian Eno, it’s unsurprising how masterfully Aziya builds a sonic soundworld. Her passion for “guitar music” shines on “atomic,” as she thoughtfully stacks gritty guitar riffs over a dark, booming bassline and crisp kick-snare pattern that could snap you out of any existential-crisis-induced stupor.
Her vocal performance is the cherry on top, effortlessly flowing from one emotional state of mind to another. There’s a sort of gentle appeal in the verses, where she sings lyrics like: “You’re such a heavenly sight, / I don’t understand, why this isn’t right” and “My heart won’t regret it this time.” This leads to more urgent desperation in the pre-choruses: “I want you ’til the very end / I need you so I can pretend, / All the fear that’s on my mind / Help me get it off tonight.” This culminates into an incredibly hopeful and authentic sentiment in the chorus, where she sings, “I hope my prayers / Come together in the form of your touch / And then we fall in love.” These seamless emotional progressions coupled with the dynamic vocal and compositonal choices push the song forward and keep you hanging off her every word, itching to hear her next declaration.
‘atomic’ is a masterpiece of modern-rock with the most beautifully synthesized application of Aziya’s very post-punk influences and a bittersweet assessment of love in the modern age.
I caught up with Aziya in a brief interview where she shared a bit more about her early influences, the success and impact of her viral TikToks, and some non-musical interests, as well as her top three Early Rising artists. You can find the interview below:
YARYN: As a human, how are you doing lately? Are there any specific hobbies you’re enjoying or perhaps a series you’ve been enjoying in your free time?
AZIYA: As a human I’m doing good, I just got a new pair of bad ass baby pink reflective ski looking goggles so I look intergalactic when I’m swimming which I love doing in any spare time I have. A series I love currently is definitely Atlanta, by Donald Glover (Childish Gambino) I’ve been re – watching it a lot recently.
Y: I know you’ve said you produce songs you’d like Debbie Harry to sing on, and I can certainly hear that love for rock in a lot of your discography, and then “atomic” certainly has the post-punk flair. Has rock always been the genre or sound world you feel most connected too, and why is that so?
A: Yeah I grew up in a household that was constantly playing Prince and Patti Smith so inevitably guitar music was what I grew up hearing, the first song I remember listening to in the car was ‘Radio / Video’ by System of a Down, Inevitably leading to me discovering all types of guitar music; being introduced to Blondie inevitably led me to listening to bands like ‘Suicide’ and hearing ‘Talking Heads’ led me to becoming obsessed with the production and going down a rabbit hole of ‘Brian Eno’s’ work.
Y: Who are some specific artists that have inspired your creative process over the years?
A: Some unspoken heroes for me are Rosetta Tharpe the queen of rock n roll and June Millington (Fanny), but sonically I’ve been inspired by Debbie Harry and Blondie, The Cure from the very beginning as well as Santigold.
Y: TikTok certainly played a large role for you in the rollout of this song, especially considering that I believe you weren’t planning on releasing it at all when you made your initial video about it. What gave you the idea for that viral TikTok, and can you tell me a bit about what led to the decision to release “atomic?”
A: It was a song I was already working on and when I made the guitar tone, it genuinely reminded me of what Timothée Chalamet looks like. I’d just watched Bones and All, I think, so my mind was in a kind melancholy space of reflecting on love — I did kinda feel like the ‘sad boy’ I reference in those TikTok videos, so I thought it’d be funny to document the process of the song, on TikTok whilst referencing some of the bands I really felt like the song was inspired by – Talking Heads, The Cure and, of course, Blondie.
Y: You suggested that the lyrics were sort of playfully leaning into a sad-boy “woe is me, i’ll never find the love i deserve” type beat, but is there anything more personal that came up in the writing process?
A: Yeah I definitely think I started tapping into the idea of love in 2023 and how I do fear it might not exist in 2023. But for my own sanity, accepting that there is a lesson to be learnt from every interest that enters into my life so enjoy the moment for what it is. The song is written with the hope that everyone deserves that right person and amongst the hookups and being matched by AI and algorithms they are out there. It’s a diary into Gen-Z love.
Y: Do you have a favourite lyric from the track?
A: Take me to the altar and make me your bride / If it’s not right, we’ll just call it off – after midnight.
Y: You have a UK tour coming up, taking you through Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham and closing off in London. Are there any cities or venues (in or outside of the UK!) you’ve dreamed of playing and hope to play soon?
A: Madison Square Garden; I hope to sell that out one day. Closer to home, I would love to sell out Barrowlands in Glasgow myself. I supported The Vaccines there this time last year and very quickly saw it as my dream venue, with a lot of post-punk bands playing there and iconic artists like David Bowie and Iggy Pop … it feels like a land mark venue to tick off for me.
Y: Since you are based in London, can I ask you for a few local / UK-native recommendations? Favourite restaurant?
A: Necco in Exmouth Market has the BEST sushi which, for me, is a necessity — sushi is life.
Y: Favourite non-tourist-trap thing to do or place to visit?
A: Shacklewell Arms has the best gigs for me personally.
Y: Favourite snack? (I’m a sucker for dark chocolate digestives).
A: My favourite snack without a doubt is Nutella Toast and banana with a little bit of butter if we’re tryna be indulgent.
Y: Since this is Early Rising, are there any up-and-coming artists you’ve been particularly tapped into lately?
A: Hemlocke Springs, Quinnie, and Jim Legaxcy. Defooooo check them all out!
Aziya’s single, “atomic” is available to stream on all platforms and you can find the music video below:
