Saya Gray has released her debut album ‘SAYA’ via Dirty Hit. The 10-track collection follows previous singles ‘SHELL ( OF A MAN )’, ‘H.B.W’, and ‘LIE DOWN..’.
The release follows Gray’s 2023 project ’19 MASTERS’ and subsequent EPs ‘QWERTY’ and ‘QWERTY II’. The new album was created following a solo journey across Japan in autumn 2023, with Gray drawing inspiration from artists including The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Joni Mitchell.
The record’s creation process saw Gray develop her sound towards melodic folk songcraft, with lead single ‘SHELL ( OF A MAN )’ incorporating country music elements for the first time in her catalogue, featuring guitar work and layered vocals.
Toronto-born Gray, who grew up with a Japanese mother and Scottish-Canadian father, began her musical career in a Jamaican Pentecostal church house band. By age 16, she was performing at jazz festivals and nightclubs, later touring internationally as a bass player for Grammy-winning artists before launching her solo career.
Leave a Reply