Ariyel
Singer/songwriter Ariyel is making waves with her latest single “sister sister”. Produced by august mez, the captivating alt-pop single explores the complexities of living with CPTSD and the emotional intimacy between women bound by shared trauma. The empowering anthem features singer/songwriter Emily Sangder.
“I had a dream where the other woman reached for my hand,” Ariyel says. “Even if I never get that in real life, this song helped me let go of the anger. I hope it can do that for others, too.”
“sister sister” is just a taste of what's to come from Ariyel's upcoming concept album, set to drop this fall. Stay tuned for more music from this talented artist!
Hi ARIYEL, how are you? What's your story?
Hi! I am doing alright. I’m a songwriter from the Pacific Northwest writing alt-pop music with lyrical focus on mental health, and tons of reverb and fun harmonies.
"sister sister" is your new single - what's the inspiration behind this new single?
It’s a track about the other woman, and ways in which we are not all that different from her- why that trope exists and how dumb and cookie cutter women’s roles can be.
Could you describe the songwriting/production for this particular song? Who helped you create it? And what made you want to collaborate with Emily Sangder on this record?
Once I had the core written, I recorded a demo with doubled guitar and added some mellotron (blame KT Tunstall - Paper Aeroplane).
I sent it to august mez to “just add a couple things” —and he totally killed it- knocked it out of the park and turned it into this awesome rock song in the second half. It was sweet and tragic before, but august really knows how to tap into the feminine rage aspects of my writing with his reverb electric guitar and drums so thank god for him. He added so many great melodic lines and hits and made the song what it is.
I recorded background vocals this year with Joshua Evan Lee (who wrote all of the INSANE voice parts), and realized the song needed something more. I needed a sister for sister sister, if you will.
This song is one of my favorite ones I have ever written and really vulnerable for me, so I don’t know if I could have trusted anyone other than Emily Sangder to sing it with me. I am honored she was excited to be a part of it- she has the immense technical talent and emotional depth but also she is one of my favorite people so it was a perfect fit.
I visited her in LA and sat in on the session — Alex Marquis engineered it beautifully, and their puppy Nugget oversaw the vibes
What did you feel when recording this song?
A lot. It was interesting trying to get the correct emotion since it is all over the place. Sad? Angry? All of it. Mostly I felt proud.
What's your favorite lyric on "sister sister"?
Sleepaway and double dutch, I wish we never learned so much
of meat markets and battlefields, before he came and sliced us up.
What message do you want to give to anyone struggling with CPTSD?
Hey guys! Mentally I am hugging you. Stop pushing yourself so hard, you’re doing fine- your brain is working overtime it its amazing you’re alive. Get a weighted blanket and the vagus nerve deck.
How's it like to be a woman in the music industry? What advice would you give to women out there?
I think it’s just been learning that I have unwarranted imposter syndrome about a ton of stuff. I think the world is, in some cases, built to make us feel stupid and incapable? My advice is- you can do it, you can teach yourself, and you don’t have to meet anyone’s standards but your own. Still learning that though. Definitely easier said than done.
Would you say songwriting is a form of therapy for you?
Sure! It’s processing emotion and difficult concepts for my brain to wrap around. Way more fun than a thought spiral. A thought spiral you can sing, fine tune and then share.
What does singing make you feel?
I feel like a sorcerer. When I perform I go into a different zone, and music is so powerful- actually tapping into the human condition. When I can perform well it feels like a magic trick but for real, dipping into something bigger than myself and sharing it with listeners and the people I get to perform with.
How do you take care of your mental health on a daily basis?
To be so for real, I’m stuck on step one, sleep schedule. Weekly therapy is stellar, and trying to stay tuned into myself and not overwork is my priority.
How do you stay sane in this crazy music industry?
Taking breaks? Not being too hard on myself, and not betting my whole happiness on hitting some big break. Theoretically this keeps me sane.
What biggest life lessons have you learned so far?
A lot of things come and go but I will always have writing, whenever I need it for myself. And I can go as slowly as I want to.
In your opinion, what would make the world a BETTER place?
Everyone needs to work a service job so they can understand human empathy, then they are allowed to speak to other people.
What can we expect to hear/see next from you?
This single is a part of a concept album coming-out in the fall, and I have one more single to go that I am SO excited to release just before then. So a couple more alt pop jammers. And maybe a sick music video.
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