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Photo – Yuri Nezovic

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Praise for ARIG

“ARIG has announced herself as a powerful new voice in Australian music, one with some unique stories to tell” – Pilerats

“filled with emotion and passion” – Acclaim Magazine

“Arig is on fiiiiiire… an absolute weapon” – AUD’$

“Here stands a woman scorned but not stopped, down but not out… truly remarkable” – Purple Sneakers

“A true testament to the huge amounts of power that real, visceral emotion can bring to a song” – Tone Deaf

“soulful and assertive at the same time” – Dave Ruby Howe, triple j Unearthed

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Eora/Sydney-based artist ARIG (she/her) today shares her vivacious new single and its equally spirited video ‘His Nation’. A bouncing, hypnotic celebration of finding the all-consuming kind of love we seek within ourselves in a world that discourages this, ‘His Nation’ represents a new sonic era for the self-described “loud introvert”, and is taken from Arig’s forthcoming as-yet-unannounced new EP. ‘His Nation’ is out independently now, stream HERE.

Blending slick pop sensibilities with unapologetic honesty plus R&B and hip-hop influences to craft a bright, polished yet undeniably genuine sound that’s all her own, Arig’s ability to embody confidence and clear-headed vulnerability all at the same time is a consistent hallmark of how she moves through the world, both as a musician and as a passionate community activist. Having grown up in crowded housing commission in an unstable home environment, Arig has openly shared her experiences at events like Amnesty International’s 20th Writes for Rights anniversary, the launch of Amity Place (a community-run initiative to support against domestic, family and partner violence and narcissistic abuse recovery) as well as at multiple schools.

Featuring crisp, thumping production that lays a dynamic foundation for Arig’s playful, tongue-in-cheek lyrics (“Me and ya fatha / Now you gotta baby brother”), ‘His Nation’ embraces the fight within. The high-energy track encourages women to own their sexuality and to step fully into their own power, even within the constraints of a patriarchal society – and give themselves permission to feel desirable and self-assured, with or without any external affirmation. Produced by Harry Fox (Carmouflage Rose, Midas.Gold, GALLVS), ‘His Nation’ is packed with Star Trek references, ad-libs, and a tumbling bassline – the result of an open and experimental back-and-forth between Arig and Fox.

Of the single, Arig shares, “Bravado, aggressiveness, sex, confidence, and self-assuredness: these are all means of expression that I had to fight for, stand up for and create in myself and made more difficult on the back of growing up in a deeply religious and patriarchal environment. I wanted to prompt a conversation around the fact that women wield so much power. The sources from which you build your identity and character are endless. Where you draw the inspiration to build your “own” self is limitless. It truly doesn’t matter the means by which you manifest your power, what is important is the acknowledgment of its existence within oneself as well as its rightful place in the world.  The opening line “In it like a muscle car” was due to there being a big muscle car poster in [Harry Fox’s] studio and we went from there.”

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Directed by Cleo Baldwin (whose work also includes a clip for rock icons Noiseworks, as well as short films Cold of the Sun & Girl Dog), the exuberant, winking and brightly saturated video for ‘His Nation’ was conceptualised as a “what-if” scenario inspired by multiple instances of intimidation and gatekeeping Arig has experiences within the music industry; a self-aware visual representation of what it might look like to respond to these aggravated behaviours with the same kind of energy. Shot in an auto shop with only white men for co-workers and visual Grease references aplenty, the video shines a spotlight on Arig’s magnetic presence, sense of humour, and ability to take difficult situations and turn them on their head to her advantage – even if it’s all just a fantasy.

Arig says of the video, “It’s unfortunate that some perceive the hope and determination to create something from nothing as intimidating, going so far as to deliberately try to stop your progress. This is something I experienced often as a female, independent artist with little to no resources or muscle power within a predominately male-dominated industry. So, I became aggressive in my endeavours. I had to be. To say the least, it was a challenging time with lots of mistakes and self-doubt. I learnt to power through those circumstances, navigate the landscapes, armour up, get resourceful and ask for help all while balancing vulnerable components of being human, a woman and being alone. The video is a way of telling you: “Babe, sometimes you gotta stop being nice, you gotta show your teeth a little and put them in their place. Don’t let people bully you into submission! Don’t let anyone tell you other than what you know is the truth about yourself.”

Born in Khartoum, Sudan to Eritrean parents who fled their country’s conflict, eventually moving to so-called Australia as a toddler with her mother – split from her father whose visa was not granted – Arig observed the unfortunate traps and social limitations of living in a no-income household driven by a toxic relationship, as well as that of the community around her. The frequent pain, and constant lack of stability weighed heavily on Arig’s self-esteem, with her only escape from this violence and hostility coming in the form of hiding away in her room and singing into a hairbrush, writing songs and listening to the pop divas of the early 2000s. This, along with a dedication to serving those facing disadvantages, laid a foundation for what was to come – and pivotal creative collaborations with Anthony Aggs (pianist in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis) and Imraan Palekar (Jordan Rakei, Street Rat) only bolstered Arig’s newfound direction, with her sound drawing from everything from traditional Eritrean, South Sudanese and Arabic music to Jeff Buckley, Tupac, Lady Gaga and Alicia Keys – “true, raw, honest artists with grit and stories to tell”, as she puts it. Her soulful, bluesy debut EP Attrition (2018) secured a Queensland Music Award nomination for the previously Meanjin/Brisbane-based artist, and support from triple j, triple j Unearthed, Acclaim Magazine, AUD’$, Purple Sneakers, Pilerats, Tone Deaf, 27 Magazine, The Music, Ramona Magazine, Soul Connoisseur and more including community radio like FBi Radio, Triple R, 4ZZZ and beyond; the release was followed by her collaboration ‘Whine With It’ with Adechoon (2020) which was added to Spotify’s Global Afro Beats. Arig will release her as-yet-unannounced new EP in 2024.

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Arig – ‘His Nation’
Out Now
Stream

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Follow ARIG
Tik Tok – Instagram – Facebook – Spotify

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AMNPLIFY – DB