AJA - 'Fireflies'
Artist on the rise AJA is all up in her feels with her new summer hit Fireflies. Driven by her need to keep her head up and look to the future, this track offers a wonderfully sensitive and heartfelt message to all who listen.
Barely 18, Toronto born AJA exploded onto the scene in 2020 and from then has been showcasing a talent and maturity beyond her years. Ahead of an exciting move to LA, AJA releases her latest track, Fireflies, in which she talks about how she has grown and persevered through a period of difficulty. Written in collaboration with fellow brilliant musicians Rob Vallier and Jimmy McGorman, the song is the perfect segway into the next exciting stage of her career.
The song is a follow-up to her single ‘Love at First Song’ which came out earlier this year. The love expressed in ‘Love at First Song’ has been allowed to deepen and grow stronger-the sentiment before was more about the ‘falling’ in love with someone and the giddy feeling of a new and exciting romance whereas this track explores the ways in which the pair lift each other up:
“falling hard every time I sing along… love the way you whisper like a symphony, here all by myself don’t need no one else to turn my feelings into harmony”
“we don’t hear a sound we ain’t ever coming down, living in the here and now, promise me you won’t look down”
The tempo and feel of the track reflects this change and maturation of the relationship; while ‘Love at First Song’ had a bubbly and upbeat melody, ‘Fireflies’ is slower, the lyrics are thoughtful and illustrate how their bond is stronger and more meaningful. The undercurrent of both tracks is about looking towards the future of the relationship with an excitement, though perhaps the one in ‘Fireflies’ is quieter and reassured.
There is no denying of AJA’s vocal prowess in this track; it is easy to forget just how young she really is when listening to the buttery tone of her voice. The experienced ‘old-soul’ quality of her voice juxtaposes beautifully against the accompanying bedroom-pop synths and beats giving the track an overall really refreshing and youthful sound. The only thing that could elevate this track is if it were played in an empty stadium space; it’s echoey melody and dreamy harmonies really make it stand out against other more standard summer anthems. It makes your heart race the same-just in a different way.
This track comes at a very exciting time for AJA. With more releases on the horizon and her exciting move to LA, there is so much to look forward to for this artist. With fans like Adele, Ariana Grande, Arlo Parks and Jacob Collier, it looks as though this is just the beginning her journey towards superstardom.
Words by Kirsty Thomson
