AARYS

SOCAN Song of the Week April 29

AARYS- Echo - Words and Music Magazine - SOCAN

Check out new music from Kasador, Aarys and Emilie Steele and the Deal

Every day, musicians write, record and release new music in Ontario — so each week, we're bringing you some of our favourites.

Music columnist Adam Carter is on CBC Radio One's In the Key of C on Saturdays, with your guide to what's new and exciting in Ontario music.

Here are this week's picks:

AARYS- Echo

Aarys tells me this track is about a person returning to the same toxic situation over and over again because they think its what they deserve.

It's a tough subject that's handled well, and helped along by some top-notch production and vocal skill. - CBC News - Adam Carter

Port Colborne singer/songwriter Aarys recently released her debut album “Secrets”. Produced by Tim Abraham the album deals with vulnerability, mental health and coming into one’s own. Aarys who has struggled with depression and anxiety, decided to take matters into her own hands by giving speeches around Ontario, which led to an invitation to give a Ted X talk in September of 2018. In her talk she discussed using music as a tool to cope with mental illness and to educate the world, in hopes of encouraging empathy towards others.


We caught up with the emerging artist to talk songwriting, mental health and what’s next.

Kat: Can you talk about the inspiration behind your debut album ‘Secrets’?

Aarys: I’ve spent a lot of my life hiding the way I felt and not letting people get to know who I really am. Part of that was because I have dealt a lot with anxiety and depression, and the stigma attached to mental health struggles often makes people think that they aren’t allowed to feel or be open about those feelings, or else they will make others uncomfortable. After some therapy, I realized the importance of talking about mental health and just being more open with my feelings and my story. So, I wrote these songs, drawing on my experiences with mental health and relationships (both with others, and with myself), and I called my debut album ‘Secrets’ because I don’t want to hide anymore. It’s my invitation for the world to start to get to know me.

Kat: What was your experience like working with Tim Abraham (Grand Analog, Peter Katz, Royal Wood)?

Aarys: Working with Tim was fantastic. He’s crazy talented. When I first met him, I really didn’t quite know what kind of music I was trying to make. So, not only was he the main producer on all of the songs, but he really actually helped me find my identity as an artist. I feel like I’ve also become a better songwriter and even a better singer through the process of learning from him and all of my other collaborators as well.


Kat: You’ve been open about struggling with depression and anxiety and using music as a tool to cope, can you expand on that?

Aarys: Yes absolutely! I’ve become somewhat of an advocate for breaking the stigma around mental illness and a part of that has been to be as open as possible. I’ve written songs on the subject, but I’ve also began speaking at events throughout Ontario, sharing my stories and my songs, and talking about how music is an amazing tool that can be used to cope. For example, I find music therapy fascinating and have done a ton of research on its effects. Songwriting, singing, and even just listening to music can do so much for a person’s mental health. And when we listen to music, it’s actually been found to activate an area of our brains linked to empathy. So I think it can be a powerful tool to encourage us to empathize with each other as human beings rather than judge people while they struggle with something.

Kat: Who are some of your musical influences or inspirations?

Aarys: I’ve always loved big voices and personalities in music. Bishop Briggs is one of my main inspirations lately, but I grew up obsessed with Amy Lee and Freddy Mercury. What they all seem to have in common are insane vocal chops and an amazing, electric stage presence. I’m also inspired by BANKS, Billie Eilish, Lennon Stella and so many more artists (especially females).


Kat: What’s on your playlist?

Aarys: Billie Eilish’s new record has been on repeat. So have songs by some of my favourite indie artists right now like iamhill and Charlotte Sands. And then we’ve got music by Lennon Stella, Matt Maeson, Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine, Halsey, Broods, Sasha Sloan, Bishop Briggs, Donna Missal, Lewis Capaldi, LSD (Labyrinth, Sia, Diplo), Dex Arson etc etc.

Kat: Do you have any advice for emerging artists?

Aarys: Maybe if I type this out, I’ll take this advice myself. DON’T COMPARE YOURSELVES TO OTHERS. It’s really easy to get down on yourself if you see other artist’s careers and accomplishments and wonder why you haven’t had the same experiences. Everyone is different, and everyone’s measure of “success” is different. You will find success in your own time if you really work for it.

Kat: What’s next?

Aarys: What I really really want to do next is book a tour. Performing live is one of my favourite things to do in the world, and performing this record is proving to be the most fun I’ve ever had on stage. Other than that, working hard at promoting a couple of singles from this album while constantly writing/collaborating/experimenting until I find the inspiration for the next project. - Harlton Empire - Kat Harlton

Music is everything to the artist known as AARYS.

"Writing songs is my therapy, it helps me get through things and hopefully my songs help others," she said in a recent interview. "Performing live is my favourite thing."

AARYS is the alter ego of Port Colborne's Sarah Boulton and is a nickname given when she performed with her first band at age 15.

It's also the name she's performing under on her debut album, "Secrets," released a few weeks ago.

Boulton said the nine-track album has been something she's been working on for the past three years.

And it's unlike anything she's done before.

The 24-year-old came from an acoustic background, performing rock, country and folk songs at various venues across Niagara for more than a decade.

"None of them were me," said Boulton.

It wasn't until she met Juno Award-winning producer Timothy Abraham that she finally found her voice.

She found the type of music she wanted to make. Music she had listened to throughout her life: alternative, alternative pop and indie music, very electronic styles.

The change in style was another reason she changed her name to AARYS.

"It felt like a transformation for me and I needed a name to reflect that."

Working with Abraham allowed her to try new sounds and develop as an artist, and it took the last three years to get exactly what she wanted.

The two cowrote a lot of the songs on the album and Boulton played some of the instruments heard on the tracks.

With the transformation, she's opened up more about her life. The songs on the album are very personal stories, she said.

"Which is why I wanted to call it 'Secrets.' Over the course of my life, there were moments that I wouldn't share," said Boulton, adding she hid things like anxiety and mental health issues.

She's now a mental health advocate, and said writing and talking about her struggles has helped.

Last fall she gave a TEDx Talk — it was called "Using Music to Encourage Empathy" — about using music as a tool to cope with mental illness.

"I want to end the stigma against mental health and encourage empathy."

With the album out, Boulton will perform it in its entirety for only the second time Thursday, May 2 at the Warehouse Concert Hall, 11 Geneva St. in St. Catharines.

"This album is my first attempt at being just a frontwoman," said Boulton, a Port Colborne High School graduate.

She's hoping fans, friends and family will come out in full force for Thursday's performance.

"I'm excited for people to hear it."

It was her parents that sent her to music lessons, starting her on her musical journey.

"My parents heard me singing in the back of the car, harmonizing to the radio when I was five or six years old. They were like, 'I guess she can sing,'" she said, adding her first lessons started when she was seven.

Music is Boulton's life now and she plans to keep on moving forward with her career.

In addition to performing around Toronto, she's writing songs for others as well.

She's written for artist Zoe Wood, who has an EP coming out later this year.

"I love writing for other people, it's a little less pressure. You're not talking about what's going on in your life, you're taking on an observation role."

Tickets for Boulton's show at the Warehouse Concert Hall can be found on her website aarysmusic.com or at www.showclix.com/event/aarys.

The show starts 7:30 p.m. with Welland's Jessica Wilson and Nico TK as openers, before Boulton takes the stage as AARYS with bandmate Nick Name.

Her album "Secrets" can be found on iTunes and Spotify or her website aarysmusic.com. - The Standard - Nathaniel Johnson

Time to dance! Canadian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist AARYS has just unveiled the Billy Wild-directed music video for her awesome debut single Echo. Really enjoying the dark atmosphere of the visuals that perfectly match the vibe of the song. It's a cool video for a song that will get you ready for a weekend of partying! Watch it below!

Musically, Echo is an awesome piece of electro-pop music. What first caught my attention to the song was her powerful and haunting vocals and how they are perfectly backed up by dark and driving electronic beats before exploding in the chorus with an absolutely infectious melodic hook. AARYS is currently working on her full-length debut album, recorded in downtown Toronto's Soleil Sound, set to arrive in the spring of 2019. - Caesar Live N Loud