PRIYA RAGU
SHARES NEW SINGLE
‘FORGOT ABOUT’
LISTEN HERE
EUROPEAN HEADLINE TOUR ALSO ANNOUNCED
INCLUDES UK SHOWS AT LONDON THE JAZZ CAFÉ & MANCHESTER YES
Having released just two singles, ‘Good Love 2.0’ and ‘Chicken Lemon Rice’, PRIYA RAGU flavours her own take on R&B with a depth of musical influences from her Sri Lankan heritage. Priya is not only a remarkable talent but also one with a sound quite unlike anyone else. Her limitless potential has established her as a breakthrough artist, resulting in airplay at Radio 1, 1Xtra, 6 Music and the BBC Asian Network, plus Ones To Watch tips from Vogue, i-D, NME, The Line Of Best Fit, gal-dem, The Forty-Five and Notion.
Priya now takes the next step in a major year ahead by sharing her new single ‘FORGOT ABOUT’. If you think you know what to expect from Priya, think again. In contrast to the fiery energy of her recent tracks, ‘FORGOT ABOUT’ is a timeless slow jam which really showcases the versatility of Priya’s vocal gift. The production, courtesy of her brother Japhna Gold, strikes the perfect balance between innovative sonic flourishes and the yearning of a timeless love song.
“The track is about being in love with that ‘forever' person, who has feelings for you but it’s not quite love,” says Priya. “It's about being afraid of letting go, because you know that you'll never meet someone like this again in your lifetime - so you decide to carry them always in your heart.”
Outside of her own releases, Priya also has her first major collaboration on the cards. She features on ‘Goodbye My Love’, a song on Jungle’s forthcoming third album ‘Loving In Stereo’ which will be released in August. The album represents the first time the iconic UK production duo have worked with guest vocalists, with Priya being one of just two featured artists who have contributed to the record.
On the live front Priya will play a high profile set at this year’s Great Escape as a Spotlight artist but can now also confirm details of her long awaited debut European headline tour. Consisting of nine shows spanning six countries, the tour includes a London show at the Jazz Café and will culminate with a homecoming show in Zurich a week later.
Tickets for the shows, listed below, are on sale now and will be available from www.priya-ragu.com
November
18th – The Netherlands, Amsterdam, Melkweg UP
19th – Germany, Hamburg, Turmzimmer
22nd – UK, Manchester, YES
23rd – UK, London, Jazz Café
25th – Belgium, Brussels, AB Club
26th – France, Paris, Badaboum
28th – Germany, Berlin, Privatclub
29th – Germany, Cologne, JAKI
30th – Switzerland, Zurich, Exil
Priya’s story is just as fascinating as her music. She was born and raised in Switzerland following her parents escape from the Sri Lankan civil war in the early eighties. As she grew older, the Swiss and Sri Lankan cultures began to clash. Although they are now fully supportive of their daughter, Priya’s parents were initially strict, she wasn’t encouraged to listen to Western music or hang out at the mall after school. However her musical ambitions soon began to take root. At the age of 16, she performed Alicia Keys’ ‘Fallin’’ to her brother, who insisted she perform at a show he was doing with his rap group. Her father discovered their plans and stopped her from performing, but Priya wasn’t deterred. She instead made her ambitions more covert, sneaking out to jam sessions and open mic nights, before decided to fully pursue her ambitions by moving to America with the help of her friend, the rapper Oddisee. Working remotely with Japhna, the pair created a number of tracks which would provide the launchpad for where she is today.