Returning to the Source with asri

asri (he/him) is one of the many artistic expressions of Asriel Hayes, a Los Angeles-born-and-raised singer, songwriter, producer, composer, and violinist.

Through asri, Hayes explores the emotional turmoil molded by tragedy and heartbreak, while finding hope through faith, triumph, and the passage of time. His work embodies both the internal and external conversations that shape who we become.

Drawing from Gospel, R&B, Pop, Jazz, Classical, and Electronic music—the foundations of Hayes' sonic upbringing—asri creates an ever-evolving universe entirely his own.

Q1How do you stay connected to making when you're not actively making?

I stay connected to creation by consuming art in all its forms. I love watching films, and I love experiencing work within the fine arts. I think art gives language to what words alone cannot, which is why I believe it's imperative to engage with different mediums intentionally. I also stay connected through faith. By conversing with the Divine and reading scripture, I'm able to return to the source of creation, where all things flow. I don't believe I would have created any of the work I've released, or have yet to release, without God.

Q2As you've grown as an artist, what's become more important to you?

As I have grown in my artistry over the years, and as a person, I've learned two things: first, to listen to my inner compass, and second, to create for the sole purpose of expression, trusting it will reach the person it's meant for. My job as an artist is to steward what flows through me and articulate it in its purest, most authentic form. I should never create from a place of pleasing an audience, but instead rejoice if that becomes the result of work made honestly. I've historically struggled with people-pleasing, so this shift in mindset was incredibly important for me. It unlocked entirely new parts of my sonic world.

MY JOB AS AN ARTIST IS TO STEWARD WHAT FLOWS THROUGH ME AND ARTICULATE IT IN ITS PUREST, MOST AUTHENTIC FORM.

Q3I'D LOVE TO TALK ABOUT "SWIVEL" BECAUSE IT'S A FANTASTIC RECORD. WHAT DID YOUR PROCESS LOOK LIKE FROM WRITING THE SONG TO BUILDING ITS VISUAL WORLD?

Swivel was a song I never intended to release, to be honest. It came from a moment of weakness. At the time, I was working a 9-to-5 and felt unfulfilled because I wasn't being activated in my craft. I was often told that financial security was the most important thing in life, but this song speaks to the cost of that ideology. The melody and lyrics came to me together, and I started producing the track. I wanted it to feel fun and freeing, so I leaned into a house-inspired sound while trying to weave in a sense of doom through a Gregorian chant motif as best I could. I recorded my vocals, then let the song sit for about a year and a half. When I came back to it, I finished it by sampling rap vocals I'd scrapped from another song. Later, I reached out to my friend Ben Ellis to add bass, and then sent it off for mixing. Visually, I could already see the world of the song while I was making it, so I followed those images. I brought the idea to my dear friend and incredibly talented collaborator, Jamin Burdick, and he immediately connected with it, expanding the vision even further. We storyboarded, sketched every shot, talked through the characters, locations, literally everything, and brought it all to life in a single day of shooting. It was a divine encounter.

Q4WHO IS ONE CREATIVE YOU THINK MORE PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT—AND WHY?

I love my community DOWN, so I have quite a few, to be honest. Kamva is one of the best vocalists I know and makes beautiful music. His song "Closure" stays in my rotation. WST CMPLX is another favorite, a phenomenal jazz fusion band whose latest project really captures what a great marriage of genres can sound like. I especially love their songs "Moving Forward" and "Endurance."