FEATURES CALYPSO ICON MIGHTY SPARROW ON FOCUS TRACK “ROSE”
Following his anticipated return with the October release “Reason”, XAV has gifted supporters with a five track EP named, ‘Red Pills Only’. Continuing to encourage his listeners to dive deeper internally and live an honest, authentic life, the Tobago luminary continues his journey of self-discovery and acceptance throughout this captivating and thought provoking project.
Living in a technologically advanced and superficial world, it’s often praised online to strip it all back and nurture the simplistic virtues that come with life. If you’re feeling overstimulated or run down, XAV’s reputed outlook on life will fit perfectly in place. Encouraging his listeners to take the time to learn about themselves on what can be a vulnerable but beneficial journey; the ‘Red Pills Only’ EP explores exactly that.
Opening the project with “Hazard Lights”, underlined with a Jazz-speckled production, this track is a gentle nudge into trusting your intuition. XAV targets those who feel emotions on a deeper scale and have the urge to express it through different creative mediums. Moving into “Reason”, XAV encourages listeners to dig deeper and uncover the reasons as to why certain things have entered their life. Reiterating the idea behind duality and paradox, this track is a subtle reminder to not let anyone define you. Stepping into the focus track “Rose” alongside the Calypso King of the World, Mighty Sparrow, who’s re-emerged especially for this collaboration, the pair have formed a tender love song that highlights the intricacies of love. Love and pain are often associated with each other, navigating vulnerability and potential for pain, “Rose” is the poster-sign for passion, attachment, and heartache. Accompanied alongside a Kriston Campbell-directed [Isolate Media] music video, the candid film captures the real life turmoil that comes with relationships,“We wanted to capture the beauty and pain of romance. We wanted to show how it feels when love goes cold; the common experience of one person falling out of love with the other”, XAV commented. Swiftly moving into “Apex” produced by Derron DLL La Croix, a song centred around the height of success and chaos and how unstable it can make you feel, XAV draws from acts of drug abuse, ego trips, and anything else that can hinder your mental wellbeing, emphasising the importance of balance. Closing out the EP with “Birds And Fireflies”, XAV reiterates faith and resilience. No matter how far you’ve strayed from the path, you will always find a way back. Using the power of your mind and trusting your intuition, the mellow spin offers courage, empathy and freedom. Enlisting Atlanta producer Chemist for production on “Hazard Lights”, “Rose”, “Reason”, and “Birds and Fireflies”, who passed earlier this year due to gun violence. XAV intends to use ‘Red Pills Only’ as an offering to those who seek freedom internally and wish to live a life of success, self acceptance and love.
Speaking on the motivation behind the EP, XAV explained, “I want to die empty. I want to share all the inspiration that has been put into me. Red Pills Only is about discovery, acceptance and evolution. It’s about seeing yourself truly; your highest and lowest self. Whatever false belief is stopping you from pursuing that which lights up your soul; kill it. Kill it so that you can really live . Reclaim your life and story. This EP is about that journey and all the emotions, challenges and beauty that it comes with.”
On his collaboration with XAV on the focus track “Rose”, Mighty Sparrow shared, “I really like it especially how the voices are blended at the end of the song. Make it a hit.”
Xavier Edwardz, otherwise known as XAV is an artist whose talent comes from a legendary Tobago Music Dynasty. Reputed for creating a unique sound designed to awaken the consciousness of listeners around the world with a fusion of Neo-Soul, Kaiso, and Reggae elements, XAV is often compared to Bob Marley, J Cole and Chronixx. XAV achieved early acclaim with awards such as the 2019 Tobago Youth Award and National Youth Award for Music as well as the 2020 Boom Award for Best Hip Hop Song. On a mission to produce innovative sounds with thought-provoking and inspiring lyrics that can be shared across the globe, XAV has traced his lineage back to the West African country of Benin. As he grows in his artistry, he incorporates more elements of African consciousness, African Love and African sounds in his art. Recently performing at SXSW on the Island Wave Festival stage, Tobago Jazz Festival, Decibel Festival, Fro Fest, Discover Series, and TOMAC Festival as well as supporting household names Burna Boy and Morgan Heritage. More recently, he’s garnered support from COLORS, Wordplay, FAME Magazine, and Amnplify, to name a few, further solidifying his one-to-watch status!
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