For those tuned in to their Afro-Khaleeji sound, this summer belonged to . The enigmatic two piece tag team have peppered social media with special moments, their infectious sound pushing singles such as to viral status.
New release ‘SAWA’ is magnetic, a loose-limbed club shaker sculpted alongside Berlin and London-based musical collective .
Hypnotised by their breaking velocity, CLASH decided to break the enigma with a very rare Q&A.
Last year’s ‘Ma Tnsani’ was a real breakout moment. How did you navigate that?
The virality of the song left us speechless for a long time. Watching it grow so rapidly over such a short space of time was something we could never have predicted or prepared for. It was a moment filled with so much joy and pride, to unite two cultures we love and have our language heard and embraced all around the world.
You’ve managed to maintain your anonymity – why is that so important to you?
At its core, our anonymity keeps the music at the forefront of everything we do. The AYA experience is all about the listener, giving them the space to feel empowered and moved by the music in relation to their own worlds.
We live in an age of information overload. Do you feel your stance is rebellious?
We think it is. When access to information is everything, choosing to hold something back and to let people meet the music before they meet us goes against the grain. Part of our mission is to encourage creativity, courage and fresh perspectives, and there’s something quietly rebellious in asking people to feel curious in a different way.
The dance scene can be very metrics and image-oriented, so it’s interesting to reject this. Does your stance place renewed emphasis on the music?
We think the quality of the music, and the messages and intention behind a track’s creation, is what matters most. Metrics and image are surface level tools and our music aims to transcend one dimensional, ego-driven thinking.
‘SAWA’ has been a hallmark of your sets for a while. You first debuted it alongside Francis Mercier before performing it at Fête de la Musique ahead of its official release. Do you often road-test material, and how has it been going down?
We’ve been really lucky to have friends who’ve given us amazing opportunities (like Francis Mercier and our Daily Paper family) to showcase our music to new audiences. And we’re eager for people to hear our unreleased music. Gaging the audience’s reactions to our new music can be a great guide on what to release next. There’s so much to come.
You performed the song in Paris alongside Major Lazer as part of Fête de la Musique. How was that experience?
It’s such an iconic time of year in Paris, there’s really nothing like the energy at Fête de la Musique. The experience was epic and so encouraging. The crowd was electric. We definitely caught the bug, and we’d love to do it again next year.
Your music isn’t afraid to blend modern club culture with your Khaleeji heritage. Where did that blend come from?
It’s true to who we are. So many of us from the Khaleej have a deep connection to our home-grown values whilst also interacting with aspects of other cultures throughout our lives whether through travel, family, media, schooling. The blend feels natural.
The title ‘SAWA’ means “together” – very apt! Are you sending a message with this song? If so, what is it?
Definitely. The world as we know it is full of divide, and it’s in need of unification. We are far more similar than we are different, and it’s a beautiful thing to be graced with the gift of being alive at the same time as one another. The song reminds us there’s no time to dwell on the hardships between us, life is so much more beautiful when we share it.
You worked with bees & honey on this song. How did the collaboration come about?
The session was spontaneous. We first met Jazz of Bees & Honey alongside our talented friend Chencs, and his energy is infectious. The whole group is gifted and cool, and we’re huge fans. We’d definitely recommend catching their sets, it’s the best time. Collaborating with them was a real honour.
Are you fans of working collaboratively?
Yes, absolutely. Il hayah hilwa sawa (“life is more beautiful together”!)! We look for positive energy, someone talented, genuine, with good intentions. Our sound is fresh, so an open mind and real passion matter most. In a perfect world, our dream collaborator would be Michael Jackson. The way his music and message still move the world today is our biggest inspiration.
‘SAWA’ feels like the beginning of a broader new chapter. What kind of world are you building around AYA, both musically and visually?
It’s all about the listener’s experience. The world around AYA is immersive, and it’s all about you. Our goal is to leave you feeling better than you did before you heard the song or came to the show. AYA’s visual world is centred on storytelling, keep an eye out.
What’s next for AYA? Have you begun working towards a larger body of work, and will we see more live dates?
We have a lot of new music on the way, with a release in September. It’s not like anything you’ve heard before, very fresh on the ears. More live dates to come, too.