A Quick Chat with Awa Mbaye
Awa Mbaye, the boundary-pushing musical sensation hailing from Eora, Sydney, is back with an electrifying new single titled "Paranoia." This highly anticipated track was released on November 10th, 2023, and it promises to captivate audiences with its unique blend of dance, R&B, indie, and alt-pop elements.
"Paranoia" delves into a deeply personal experience as Awa Mbaye opens up about a harrowing anxiety attack that led to hallucinations. With her signature wit and charm, she turns this challenging ordeal into a catchy and infectious dance anthem. Awa explains, "Paranoia is about a horrible anxiety attack I had where I started hallucinating and had to get my housemate to come and check under my bed for 'monsters' (perfect inspo for a dance bop right?)."
Awa Mbaye is a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. Her mission is to create a space where both she and her listeners can explore and embrace their individuality. She fuses a rich tapestry of musical genres, providing a fresh and unexpected sound that instantly hooks listeners. Her songs navigate themes of selfhood, self-love, and a revitalized social contract, all delivered with a voice that refuses to be silenced.
Awa's previous achievements in the music scene speak volumes about her talent and dedication. She has headlined iconic venues such as The Vic on the Park, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and Waywards. In collaboration with Hijinx Alley, she curated, performed, and promoted her multidisciplinary event, "The Magic," at The Lord Gladstone.
Her previously released track "Black Girl Magic" received FBI radio interviews and high rotation, along with being playlisted on popular platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. Awa also received the prestigious RAGE Wild One award for the "Black Girl Magic" music video, alongside other media coverage by Purple Sneakers.
In 2022, Awa was a Triple J DIY supergroup national finalist with her upload "Bubble Wrap." She released the single "Panic at The Pub" in August and had it playlisted on Apple Music's New Music Daily, New In Pop, and New In Indie. Her music received airplay on Triple J and Triple J Unearthed, and she performed at various iconic venues.
We caught up with Awa Mbaye for a quick chat!
Your upcoming single, “Paranoia”, is about a personal experience with an anxiety attack. How did you decide to turn this challenging ordeal into a dance anthem, and what do you hope listeners will take away from it?
In a very twisted way, I’ve always loved turning my traumatic events into boppy songs. I love the contrast of really raw and vulnerable lyrics but hidden in something you can dance to.
“Paranoia” incorporates elements of dance, R&B, indie and alt-pop. Can you tell us more about your creative process when blending these diverse genres into your music?
I write with Bobby Gray and Jatayu Mudana, and we all have a similar and diverse genre of music that we listen to and I think it really comes through in the final product. We don’t really think about it that much, we just kind of write what we love.
Your music is known for addressing themes of selfhood and self-love. How has your own journey influenced the messages in your songs?
I write from experiences so a lot of my music is me retelling a story of something that has happened to me. I treat writing very much like a therapy session.
Awa Mbaye is described as a boundary-pushing musical sensation. What inspires you to experiment and push the boundaries of your music?
Bobby, Jay and I have a saying when we’re in the studio together, “Fuck it we can try it and if it doesn’t work we’ll just undo it”. A lot of our writing is trial and error and happy accidents mixed with intense fine tuning and a whole lot of vibes.
You’ve performed at iconic venues and curated multidisciplinary events. Could you share some memorable moments from your live performances and event curation experiences?
The event I put together earlier this year called “The Magic” was probably my favourite experience ever. I wanted to showcase female, non-binary, poc and lgbtqi+ creatives from Sydney, and watching everyone come together to celebrate that was so beautiful. I hope to recreate that soon.
How has your hometown, Sydney, shaped your musical identity and the stories you tell through your music?
I’ve never left the country, and to be honest, I’ve barely left Sydney. It’s truly engrained in me and has shaped every part of me, so anything I write is influenced by that. I’ve also grown up around my father’s side of the family performing West African music around Sydney (and Australia), so music was always a big part of my life.
In the ever-evolving music industry,what are your long-term aspirations and goals as an artist?
The music industry is so ever-evolving that even my goals change on the daily but one thing that stays constant is that I want to love and pursue music for the rest of my life in any way that suits. Of course, I’d also love to make more music, play more shows, maybe a festival and maybe support Tkay Maidza one day!
Can you share any insights into your future projects or collaborations that your fans can look forward to?
I’ve been working on an EP for like 4 years now and I’m really hoping that next year is the year I can finally share it with the world. The EP itself is like taking a deep look into my life, which is scary for me but at the same time music is the one place where I’m an open book.
As an artist, you aim to create a space for exploring individuality. How do you envision the role of music in promoting self-expression and individuality in today’s society?
Honestly it’s hard sometimes even for me. I think when you’re a smaller artist like I am you want to write for an audience so that you gain one and then you realise you kind of hate what you’re making. I think making sure that you’re writing for yourself and presenting yourself in a way that you want to is what attracts the best kinds of people to you. Not being afraid to make mistakes and change up what you’re doing is also key!!
Make sure to follow Awa Mbaye on social media for behind-the-scenes content, updates and more!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awambayemusic/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/awambayemusic/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@awa.mmmbye
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCklc7OMDRpcAlh-UOq-o7VA