alight by quiet light

The new single ‘’Alight, came out with the announcement of Quiet Light’s latest EP, ‘Stories I Am Now Telling You Again’.

Riya Mahesh’s vocals are instantly captivating as she begins to slowly, carefully paint a picture of late night longing and starless skies. The haze of gentle guitar feels like the golden glow of the city through a condensated cafe window. “Your smile lights up the room,” she sings. “Even the darkest of rooms you’re there and suddenly it’s all beautiful.” No matter how unrequited it is, it’s unconditional too. Though the person doesn’t feel the same, ‘Alight’ is still telling a stunningly romantic story rather than a painful one.

It’s no surprise that Riya balances the arts with academia from how poetic her story-telling is. Alongside making music, Mahesh studies Biology and Math, and claims to “always have her head in a book”. In fact, ‘Alight’ is directly inspired by ‘Slouching Towards Bethlehem’ by Joan Didion. Didion’s depiction of California felt so romantic to Mahesh that she had to write a song about her yearning for the West Coast. She says that the person the song is about is, in a way, “the idyllic California” for her.

Quiet Light’s EP will be out on April 8th.

Words by Caitlin

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