'Arrows (feat. Allysha Joy)' / Ajak Kwai [Premiere]
Sudanese shepherd trail sounds and Naarm neo-soul jazz vocals blend together to form something new, vibrant, and terrific. “Arrows (feat. Allysha Joy)” stands out like an island in a sea of sameness.
Ajak Kwai and Allysha Joy are beautiful to watch as they discuss music together. Both are enamoured by contribution and effort that the other is making in the world and what becomes apparent is their deep respect and appreciation for each other. Allysha remarks that Ajak and herself are not only collaborating musically but emotionally as well. More than anything else, I feel grateful that these two artists found each other, and what they have created together is something truly beautiful.
“Arrows (feat. Allysha Joy)”, from label Music in Exile, is a forerunner to the new four-track EP Red Sands coming out on the 12th of November. “Arrows”, despite its thematic seriousness, feels like a warm welcome—a welcome even to those who would not extend this same welcome to Ajak.
“People are people, and if you open your eyes, extend yourself, and are curious to learn more about other cultures … the cultures are always very interesting, and you can learn from difference. We have been learning about Australian culture since our arrival. Australian people should put their fear to one side and make an effort to learn about us without judgement. It is not an equal relationship at the moment, and they are the ones missing out—they might get something important from us”
It seems to Ajak that racism is talked about over and over and never goes away. Additionally, she fears that constantly inciting discussion around racism actually pushes people away. So, what would another approach look like? Ajak and Allysha firmly believe that if ever there were a language to unite people, that language would be music. “If you preach to people they won’t listen, but if you play music they will follow”, Ajak says.
This is why she avoids playing aggressive music containing profanities on her radio shows— “there are a lot of frustrated young African people in my community”, she says, “and young Indigenous people too … it is natural for them to be frustrated—they cannot go everywhere like other young Australian people can. They feel singled out. When you are younger it is natural to be frustrated but growing up, I don’t think it is a good way to be”. The ideology sparks from a firm belief that “harmony goes a lot further than conflict”, a sentiment that is expressed in “Arrows”:
Love is bigger than all above,
Love will find a way in the dark,
Give it up and come with me.
This is the first time Ajak has written a song that explores discrimination. And both artists acknowledge that controlling frustration and making a positive sound is something genuinely hard to do. They have been successful. “Arrows” does not sound like angry music—it is careful, controlled, and artistic. Like the biblical songs Ajak grew up singing with her choir, “Arrows” is a kind of parable. The arrows represent racial slurs, the song itself is an olive branch.
Being scared of the other is not something we are born with; it is something we learn. Ajak remembers that growing up in Bor (her hometown) she had no sense of fear—it is only something she has learnt since arriving in Australia.
“People are always scared of something they don’t know and that is something I learn in Australia, if you don’t know someone you are scared of them”
The question is: how can you get people to sit down long enough to introduce them something new? Much has been written on the benefits of interdisciplinary collaboration—through this process, work often emerges that transcends what would be possible in a single discipline. The same can be said for the collaboration between artists from different musical backgrounds. Having Allysha on board is not about fame, it is about expanding as artists and spreading a message. There is hope that people will recognise Allysha’s name and be drawn to this track—people who may not have heard Ajak’s message otherwise. Ajak and Allysha are walking hand in hand towards a wider audience and perhaps newfound community too.
I hesitate to spend too much time in this article talking about how ‘Arrows’ sounds—basically because I do not want to box it up using genres and descriptors. I will say this—I think ‘Arrows” will transport each person somewhere different. For me, peering through the shimmering heat, I can make out somewhere dry and orange. For Ajak it brings to mind images of her home country—in the dream land, on a shepherds trail between the desert and the forest. Ajak told me the song’s sound is reminiscent of the way that her tribe used to walk.
Like “Arrows”, Ajak does not deserve to be put in a box. Anyone who listens to her radio shows will be impressed by Ajak’s eclectic taste in music and tremendous genuineness. In a space of a couple of songs she moves from Archie Roach to Aretha Franklin. What ties it all together? Ajak simply likes it because it is all music that has changed the world. Similarly, Allysha is not looking to pin herself to a single sound. Something we discussed during our zoom call is that humans are complicated—our interests and desires change. ‘I am not always going to find my expression through neo-soul or hip-hop’, Allysha says, ‘I want to continue to learn … it is easy to get stuck if you are just making one kind of thing’.
The opportunity of collaboration is the opportunity to connect with people through the process of music making. What drew Allysha to this project was of course Ajak’s incredible musicality, but also the importance of always looking to the elders of the community. Ajak has been making music for a long time, and it has always been a part of her life—in fact, she says it has saved her countless times. If there is one thing Ajak would like me to finish on it is this: care for elders. It is sad to see elders being neglected. We are all busy, and it is not always our fault, but we can do better. When we emerge from this particular time in history, hopefully we will have learnt something—if we have not, we have missed a very significant opportunity to learn many important lessons. And elders have a lot of knowledge they can impart. It is sad to see so much wisdom stowed away in nursing homes. If you are extending love, extend it also to the people we do not see.
See Ajak Kwai’s award-winning ‘Let me grow my wings’ music video below.
Stay up to date with Ajak Kwai on Soundcloud and Instagram.
Stay up to date with Allysha Joy on Soundcloud and Instagram.
Words by Jack Long (@patrick.di_henning)
Photos by Nick Mckk (@nick_mckk)
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