Features : Muashall Shares Raw Emotion in Latest Single, “Pettiest Thing of All”

Asian American recording artist Muashall brings his unique sound and writing style to life with the release of his latest single, “Pettiest Thing of All.”

Soft spoken and raw, the single reads like a diary at times, a letter to a lover at other moments. Muashall is intense and emotional throughout, sending listeners on a journey of charming vocals and strong storytelling.

“These days, music is so culturally loaded. It’s easy to get distracted. It’s hard to stay positive or productive unless I’m being literal about the basics,” shares Muashall, whose goal is to return to the essential aspects of music.

Muashall spent his childhood learning to play the piano, focusing primarily on classical music. “My musical development gave me a lot of theoretical foundations. As I get older, I’m always trying to redefine convention with the basics. No matter how you approach it, it’s always important to continue probing at what is fundamental—the purity part of it, the essence of things.”

Muashall hopes listeners can relate to the vulnerability that comes through his music. “Due to the sparseness of the song, it’s more vulnerable. It’s risking a little more, like being naked. I hope that I can build a different kind of connection with listeners when I’m not masking.”

Since he wrote the song, Muashall has written some nine additional records. “To be honest, I don’t remember making this song. I’ve been in the studio and working on a totally different set of records. At the time, I was emotional over something that I don’t remember now. But I know at the time it mattered a lot to me, so I’m glad I put it down. It made sense in the moment. Now, looking back, it’s a bit cryptic. Like a time capsule in a way.”

While remaining true to musical foundations is important to Muashall, he can also appreciate the power of modern technology for creating and exploring new sounds. “Growing up as Gen Z, I had access to advanced musical technology. We’re hyperconnected and we can pull of things we couldn’t before. When it comes to playing an instrument, you’re trying to train your fingers to do something that’s no problem for a computer. I have a lot of appreciate for the technical due to my background and training. At the same time, it’s freeing to have technology—you can explore a different terrain completely.”

Despite having modern tools at his disposal, Muashall chose to incorporate few sounds into “Pettiest Thing of All.” “I was very proud of this record in particular,” shares the artist. “I limited myself. I didn’t want to express words with percussion. It’s just three soft kicks like a breath of air during the most emotionally intense bridge parts. It’s quite different from other records. I usually use an infectious drum sound, but this time it’s stripped down, bare, raw, minimal in that way.”

“Pettiest Thing of All” is a fresh sound for the artist, who tends to default to pop tracks. Fortunately for listeners, more music is coming their way. Until then, Muashall is taking a moment to appreciate the present moment. “It’s rewarding to take a step back from the next thing and reminiscence on work I’ve already done—to reflect a little about what it meant to me.”

Make sure to stay connected to Muashall on all platforms for new music, videos, and social posts.

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