Last week, Melbourne-based Turkish/Australian artist Kaya Byrne released the soulful and soothing indie gem “Stasis.” It’s only the second single from the talented artist, following last year’s “Lily Brown,” and we are thrilled today to premiere the video ahead of its general release later in the week.
The genesis of the track lay with the frustration of the long lockdowns, and Kaya, like so many others, felt frustrated at the lack of progress in his career. “Stasis” is the perfect encapsulation of this period of metaphorical straight jackets. But fear not—while it was born out of a difficult time, its upbeat melody and silky smooth vibes are truly joyful.
Kaya describes the inspiration for the track :“This song was born out of lockdown, at the end of 2020. I wanted to write something that encapsulated my frustrations of letting an entire year slip by without feeling like I had progressed at all as an artist. Since writing it, I’ve still had many periods where the lyrics of this song resonate with me, as I constantly feel like I’m running out of time to achieve what I want and going through bouts of being completely uninspired.”
“Stasis” has a bright and breezy feel, laden with some Cat Empire-esque grooves. The vocals are charming, the guitars are punchy, and the production is tight. It’s a rich and lush track. It’s hard to believe this is only the second single to be released. Helping out on the track was Tim Hartwig on lead guitar, Nick Sinclair on bass and Cypress Bartlett on drums.
Kaya’s background is theatre, and this will come as no surprise when you see the clip. He has spent the past eight years in musical theatre, so a video clip for his own music is nirvana. As you can see, it was clearly a labour of love. It’s rich, fun and beautifully put together.
About the video, Kaya told the AU: “As with the song, the idea for this video was born out of my lockdown experience in Melbourne during the 2020 pandemic. I found myself stuck in my mundane apartment and saw days passing while I stagnated creatively and felt too numb to pursue my dreams of being an artist. My only connection to that childhood dream was through my imagination, and I wanted to express this as a child stuck at home might, through handmade props/set pieces and ridiculous ideas. My wonderful set/prop designers and I laboured away over several weeks to hand cut and paint every item in the video, and while it was a lot of work to get finished, it was an absolute blast leading from a place of “whatever our inner child would find the funniest or silliest is the correct answer”.
“Stasis” clip credits
Director: Michael Ralph
Videographer/Editor: Sean Higgins (Shotography)
Prop/Set Designer: Sy Quinn
Assistant Prop/Set Designer: Ashley Haslam
Costume Designer: Sharon Williams
Lighting Designer: Jayden Hicks
Hair/Makeup Artist: Sarika Allen
Assistant Mech: Aaron Angel
Stage Manager: Sharon Williams
Kaya Byrne: As himself
Dancers/Prop Movers: Asmara Soekotjo, Issy Fox, Jerome Javier, Katrina Bickerton, Lauren Jimmieson Craig, Max Patterson, Nic Collins
Shot at Transit Dance Studios
You can keep up to date with Kaya Byrne via Facebook, Instagram and Spotify
Photo credit: Jarryd Hardner