Based in Victoria, British Columbia, JAYA is the solo project of Jaya Bremer, who has previously fronted of indie pop band Wise Child. Setting out on her own, she has crafted a lush brand of dream pop, marring nostalgic emotion with human warmth to form a tender and bittersweet sound.
With her debut solo release Everybody’s Getting Married coming soon, JAYA has released a few singles to whet our appetites. Arriving back in June, ‘Maybe’ displayed a slow-burning emotion underpinned by an insistent drum beat and explosive guitar, Bremer’s vocals gliding above the clamour with a delicate croon.
Latest single ‘Learn to Swim’ sees some of the edges polished down, the more dynamic aspects reined in to allow the track a softer, languid air. This is apparent from the warm washes of the opening, the vocals emerging with a relaxed air that belies the lyrical themes. “[The song] is bitter-sweet in the realization that something has to change in a relationship while simultaneously celebrating coming to terms with your limits and recognizing you can’t keep carrying the weight alone,” Bremer explains. “It’s an attempt to forgive someone that pulled you into their own mess, and forgiving yourself for getting involved and thinking you could fix things.”
“I can’t save a ship from sinking
I wasn’t made to float.
And I can’t save the wreckage of your life,
collecting pieces on the shore.You’ve got to learn to swim”
‘Learn to Swim’ is out now and you can get it from the JAYA Bandcamp page, and keep your eyes peeled for more news on Everybody’s Getting Married.