Following on from a string of impressive releases over the last few years, London-based artist GIYA is back once again to unveil her latest laid-back offering ‘Upside Down’.
Channelling a wonderfully warm and sweeping neo-soul direction from start to finish, ‘Upside Down’ sees her return with one of her most captivating cuts to date. With its sweet and sultry grooves layered perfectly with her own shimmering vocals, this new effort is a bold and breezy release, perfect for kicking back in these ever-darkening nights.
So with the new single doing the rounds, we sat down with her to find out more about her newest single and what she has planned for the future.
Words by Chris Bound
Discovered via http://musosoup.com
Chris) Hi GIYA, how are you today?
GIYA) I am very well thank you.
For those that haven’t heard of you yet, how would you best describe your sound and who have been your biggest influences so far?
I like to call it ket pop; it’s a hybrid of a lot of influences. I would say it’s somewhere between Arlo Parks, Jorja Smith, Dido and Tame Impala. For this song, definitely Amy Winehouse - loving and playing her music is what drew me to jazz and then subsequently led me to contemporary jazz, especially artists like King Krule.
And do you remember the first artist you heard that made you want to make your own music?
Led Zeppelin was the first band that made me want to pick up a guitar and figure out what this world was and Amy Winehouse was the person who made me want to stop trying.
You are also based in London. How would you say the scene there has influenced or inspired your music?
A hundred percent. You can’t help but feel the weight of music under your feet as you walk the streets of London; it’s a place that consistently inspires me - there’s a style of lyricism in artists from London that I’ve always been so drawn to. Be it Jamie T from my part of the city, or Lily Allen, Amy of course, Hak Baker and even more recently Joy Crookes for sure have the same DNA - it’s a raw honesty twinged with humour that gives you such a range of emotion. I feel it’s embedded in the way I write and make music also.
You have just released your new single ‘Upside Down’. Can you tell us how that track came about? Is there a story behind it?
Always a story! This track was one of those happy accidents that came about with a bit of a studio mishap. It’s about a desire to escape, as so much of my music is really, but it’s put in the scene of that person in the corner of the room at a party or a festival passed out and in their own world. Where does the mind go in those moments, the things you see behind your eyes has always fascinated me - I have no doubt there is more to all this than what meets the eye. An Upside Down as it were. I guess we have to wait and see.
And was there a particular style you were looking for when you wrote it?
No not at all - as with any of my music. It just comes out and that’s what it’s going to be. I try not to overthink when I’m creating.
Can we expect a new EP, or even an album from you in the near future?
You certainly can.
And what other plans do you have as we move into 2022?
More music!
And finally, what is the best piece of musical advice you have ever been given?
Always be as honest as possible.