LOS ANGELES—Forty years into his career, drummer Roshan Seresinhe—who had been playing rock in rock and country cover bands—had never recorded an album. Until now.
Seresinhe also recognized the lack of diversity in the country music scene. At 62 years old he formed NuAsia with some of the Asian-American musicians in his former cover band—lead guitarist Mark Flores, bass player Dhammika (DJ) Jayasinghe, percussionist Janesh Ruwanpathirana—and newly joining the band jazz keyboardist Isamu McGregor and lead vocalist Saint Cloud, all of Asian descent.
“It was not easy for me to find three Asian musicians who would consider coming together to play and produce a country album,” says Seresinhe. “Lo and behold Mark, lives a block away from me and has been looking for musicians to do country with. And although Saint Cloud has not done country, as soon as I heard her voice I knew that it would fit really well. And she didn't hesitate when I showed her what we were trying to produce.”
Their upcoming debut Quiet Violence outlines the story of a relationship’s journey and its fluctuations, including a cover of Dolly Parton’s “Islands in Stream,” and “My Country of Mine,” NuAsia’s take on America. The album leads with a debut title track “Quiet Violence,” which ranges from contemporary pop to country and creates a modern feel, with Saint Cloud’s powerful vocals. The band’s ages range from 20 years old to their 60s, and gives a representation of both NuAsia’s experience with an older country sound, the contemporary cadence of radio-friendly music, and the importance of awareness of inclusion and representation.
“It's been a really, really enjoyable ride. Getting really high caliber musicians to come together and love country music to put together an album,” says Seresinhe. “That's a huge void in the country in mainstream country."
Quiet Violence is set to be released in early September.
The authentic, coastal R&B record is the soft summer track we’ve been waiting for – all year long.
The Vancouver experimental pop auteur has teamed up with the Japanese Vocaloid star on ‘Miku-maxxing’. She tells NME why she’d love to be able to exist like Miku, goes deep on the track, and shares her thoughts on AI
.png)
Exclusive Interview with Kiara Garcia
Billboard Japan spoke with them in a roundtable-style interview about the emotions behind the track & more.
“Music has always been part of my life growing up. I also studied dance, from jazz to tap to hip hop,” shares LA Laura Paris.
Glen’s music is a passion he’s had his whole life that he had to put a pause on but in the past few years he’s been into more than ever.
The former NME Cover star explains why she is embracing insecurity for her “epic” and “theatrical” debut album, and how she is taking notes from Wolf Alice and Girl In Red to make her upcoming tour the best yet
His single “New Car” comes from his upcoming album named GRAVITY (no situation) is a pop/rock track rooted in relatability and a bit of humor.
"Paranoia" features her signature style, in which vocal lines are interspersed with well-placed ad libs ("come on!").
Emerging singer-songwriter Izzy is embracing vulnerability and sonic experimentation with the release of her latest single, "You're Everything Without Me."
Advertisement
Leave a comment