‘Love Songs Till Midnight’ debut EP from ARIA out now

Aotearoa artist, ARIA releases her debut EP Love Songs Till Midnight a collection of 7 soulful songs that encapsulates ARIA’s unique style.

In this stunning debut EP ARIA and her collaborators have relished in the world of neo-soul, alternative R&B and dance while still bringing the spice that can be expected from such Aotearoa talent.

Love Songs Till Midnight lyrically speaks to topics of the heart. ARIA shares “It’s a tapestry canvasing the range of feelings that come with the experience of love. I’ve fallen in love and rejoiced in love. I have had to work at love and I’ve failed at love. Sometimes I look back on my past loves, at the times when I chose to love differently. Other times I’m searching for love, wanting to be loved but having to let love go. I’m still learning how to receive love and ultimately I am completely and hopelessly devoted to love.”

Leading the release feature track Love Letter (Crash). This EP speaks to all kinds of love, and this particular track is about sibling love and loss. ARIA shares “this song was a way for me to channel my grief about one of my siblings who has become estranged. The force and depth of sibling love is so powerful and I feel an aching need to ‘crash’ into this person. I feel their absence like a lost limb and often have dreams where we are together, casually hanging out like we used to, “like it never, ever happened.” Aria speaks to the therapeutic process of songwriting “Writing songs like this can provide a bit of solace, a musical salve for an emotional wound.”

Love Letter (Crash) follows earlier singles Glass and Only Way is Through and join Heavy is The Crown, Sweetheart Deal (ARIA x Boycrush), Awake With You and Unravel in the full 7 track EP Love Songs Till Midnight.

ARIA shares the nostalgic inspiration behind the EP title Love Songs Till Midnight, “Growing up in the 90’s I would listen to the radio a lot. On long drives to the Far North to see my Grandparents, my Mum and I would listen to Love Songs Till Midnight, a radio show hosted by Peter Sinclair where the lovestruck and lovelorn rang in for a chat, usually some good advice and a request. The car was full of cheesy heartfelt love songs, as it curled up and around the windy hills, purring along the gravel roads of Northland. I am filled with nostalgia when I remember these times. I also know it was a huge influence on my love of music.”

ARIA’s rich experiences include writing and recording the Auckland anthem Friday, in the shack with Home Brew, belting top Cs in the Festival Garden for Dr Colossus, crooning backing vocals for TEEKS on RNZ, playing festivals in Berlin or laying down Mahogany Session vocals in London for Noah Slee, but this EP release sees ARIA step into the light as an accomplished solo artist. “I spent a lot of my music career supporting other artists and their projects. I loved to sing and make music and I enjoyed contributing to other artists’ concepts and dreams.” ARIA elaborates “I had my own songs but it didn’t really dawn on me to properly create something of my own until, after a decade of being in a supportive role, one of the band members I was collaborating with in Berlin said emphatically, “you must do something of your own, Aria, you simply have to”. There were so many striving artists in Berlin, it just felt easy to say – OK, yeah! I’m going to start my own solo project!”

I think in a lot of ways artists can tend to sit around waiting for someone to give them permission to start reaching for their goals. I guess that is kind of what happened at that moment. I felt empowered to become a solo artist.”

Love Songs Till Midnight is available now on all digital platforms.