By Ava
Edited by Yumna Bodiat & Imaan Moosa
Photo: Fishcat Zombie (Instagram- @in.fishcat.we.trust)
Meet Johannesburg-based Iranian singer-songwriter, AVA.
AVA wants her music to encapsulate both the familiar and unfamiliar to encapsulate the influences of her multinational background and greatest inspirations. From Mac Miller to Travis Scott, there’s always an underlying hip-hop element to the core of her music.
The ganja beatz paired with a melodic flow and her philosophical thoughts describe the unique sound. Working under the wing of one of South Africa's hip hop’s finest, Ganja Beatz, Ava produced 50 DAYS IN SPACE as an introduction to who she is: a woman finding herself and her sound.
I feel like music has always been the path I’ve been on in my life. From a young age I was introduced to different genres of music by my parents. I took up playing the violin when I was very young and years later I begged to get a guitar. I’ve always loved to sing more than anything else and I don’t think I have ever clicked in that right way with those instruments like I did when I was singing. Singing and later songwriting have always been my happy place. They make good moments better and make sad moments a bit more beautiful and bearable.
I think because I am a third culture kid, my personality and existence have always been split across a few different spaces and a few different languages. Music was somehow my unifying force: a mode of expression I always found comfort in and at times allowed me to convey the different parts of myself that I wouldn’t otherwise be able to let out.
Photos: Fishcat Zombie (Instagram @in.fishcat.we.trust)
I’ve been working under this really amazing production team since 2017 called Ganja Beatz. They’re not only household names, but they’re amazing people who took a real chance on me. They took me under their wing as one of the two artists they're developing.
AVA's Music:
50 DAYS IN SPACE kinda plays with the desire we have to experience the infinite. I was really trying to imagine how I would spend infinite time from the perspective of earth. I was just playing with these ideas we have of both space and home too.
(Top) Photo: Fishcat Zombie (Instagram: @in.fishcat.we.trust)
(Bottom) Photo: Mikhail (Instagram: @meeko.flac)
The music video for 50 DAYS IN SPACE had to have been the best initiation to the world of music video production that a girl could ask for. I worked with what I could only describe as the best bunch of friends and people, such as Fishcat Zombie, the genius behind the camera.
Working with Gabrielle Onay (aka the legendary founder of Crybaby.Thrift) made my dreams come true. I also teamed up with Visual Jutsu, our VFX team, my bestie Afro Fairy Makeup, who was on hair and makeup duties, and so many more people I couldn't have done this without. It really takes a village and I love mine!
Appendix:
Third culture kid: Third culture kids are children that are raised in a culture other than that of their parents or the culture of their country of nationality during their early developmental years. They are exposed to a wider variety of cultural influences.
Visual Jutsu: Dōjutsu 瞳術 translates to Eye Techniques in English.
Visual effects (VFX): Visual effects are the process by which imagery is created or manipulated outside the context of a live-action shot in filmmaking.
Listen and stream 50 DAYS IN SPACE out now:
Streaming: https://africori.to/50dis
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