Track By Track: ASHWARYA Takes Us Through Her Latest EP 'Why's It Gotta Hurt'

Indian-Australian singer and songwriter ASHWARYA recently dropped her EP Why’s It Gotta Hurt last month, which also features her raw new single, Enough.

Exploring the edges of R&B, progressive pop and electronic with emotions teetering at great heights, Why's It Gotta Hurt retains ASHWARYA's power-packed vocals and hypnotic production.

Delving into themes of longing, desire, mania and introspection, the album serves as a self-reflective mapping of ASHWARYA's inner journey delivered with vulnerable honesty.

“The EP Why's It Gotta Hurt further solidified to me that there are no rules in music, and I wanted to continue to stay true to who I am and my sound,” ASHWARYA said.

“Exploring the songwriting and visuals of this new era was like making a movie, and I wanted to allow listeners to step into my lil universe and feel the cycle of emotions sonically and visually.”

Check out below as ASHWARYA takes us on a track-by-track walkthrough of her latest EP, Why's It Gotta Hurt.

Best Friend

I wrote ‘Best Friend’ around a time when someone who I used to be close friends with re-entered into my life.

Catching feels for your Best Friend can be the best and worst thing, and I wanted to convey that internal turmoil of not knowing what to do and also just not wanting to ruin the friendship.

The core of the song is actually a tragedy because it got me reminiscing on what used to be. That aside, though, creating this track was nuts. I wanted to give people a track to ferociously sing and dance to. I needed that myself.

Up In My Head

Up In My Head is a relentless track that truly encapsulates me as an artist on this EP.

The track started on Zoom with my now good friend Sam Sakr. It was the first time we connected, and within an hour, we had pretty much the foundation of the song. Moments like that don’t come every day in songwriting (especially over Zoom), and I knew I couldn't take a song like this for granted.

We worked on the track and found the Indian folk sample, which added such an important layer of culture and brightness. I wanted the hard-hitting sonics to contrast with the lyrics, which are focused on the end of my relationship with someone and the lingering feelings involved... This track truly marked the new era of my EP.

Enough

I always knew that Enough would become the sequel to Up In My Head, both sonically and visually, and represents the aftermath of why the relationship ended and its effect on me.

Initially, I imagined Enough more as a supporting character to the story, but it eventually became such a pivotal track to the EP - I think because of how honest it is.

The feeling of always having your love questioned or never appreciated is heartbreaking and something I wanted to convey in contrast to Up In My Head.

I'm Over

I’m Over is a pivotal point in the EP where there is a turning point in mood and tone. I wanted it to feel angsty and resentful and also dominate the feelings that were previously expressed in tracks Enough and Up In My Head.

The track's airy vocals against the live drums that Sam (Sakr) played and bass guitar was the perfect contrast of hard-hitting and fragile.

I remember thinking to myself whilst writing this track, how epic it would be to play this track live on stage with a band.

Why’s It Gotta Hurt

Why’s It Gotta Hurt was the first track I wrote off the EP and, in a sense, is the backbone to the story of this project.

It was probably one of the most defining experiences I've had in the studio with the ‘less is more’ approach, and I remember having those swirly synths stuck in my hand as if I were in a trance. There were so many ideas coming to me.

The UKG drum and bass that comes in the chorus is honestly one of my favourite things to listen to and, in a sense, one of the few moments where I well and truly felt closure after writing a song.

Why’s It Gotta Hurt allowed me to later explore my past and present experiences in the other tracks that involved themes of longing and desire - to resentment and chaos - and finally, the realisation and acceptance that, sometimes, letting go of the things you love will give you peace. 

Why’s It Gotta Hurt is out now.