A soulful, stirring embrace of the natural world, YVY MARAEY’s “Water” (ft. Raiza Biza) is an immersive, beautifully entrancing song of inner peace and balance; of connection and catharsis; of self-discovery, identity, and embracing life at its roots.
Stream: “Water” – YVY MARAEY ft. Raiza Biza
An old chemistry teacher of mine had a saying: Water is life, and life is good, therefore, water is good. Of course, he would have been referring to water by its chemical formula of H2O, and his overall message was that, in fact, chemistry is good, but the transitive law still applies. Water is our life force; our sustenance; our vital spark; and our inspiration. Without it, we are nothing; with it, we are everything.
How often do we step back to recognize this simple, yet profound, basic fact of life? It’s so easy to fly through our days with little or no regard for the building blocks that sustain and maintain us. Modern Western cultures, in particular, have by and large separated everyday living from those elemental ingredients, whereas we can look to ancient civilizations and several of today’s indigenous cultures to find a more conscious, engrained recognition of and appreciation for the intimate, direct relationship between human life and Mother Nature.
For those of us who live a more disconnected existence, YVY MARAEY’s new single might feel like the opening of a door we often keep shut; one that connects us to our natural environment, to our roots, and to the world itself in a less ethereal, more pronounced manner. A soulful, stirring embrace of the natural world, “Water” (ft. Raiza Biza) is an immersive, beautifully entrancing song of inner peace and balance; of connection and catharsis; of self-discovery, identity, and living a full and fulfilled life.
Sometimes a deeper understanding of life comes from going all the way back to its source.
Wasted all my time on things
I didn’t need to relive
Seems like all my past
aggressions will manifest
‘Cause I ain’t dealt with ’em, now I will get to it
I will deal with it, yes I will get to it
Drink this water (drink it)
Drink this water, give me life
Drink this water (drink it)
Drink this water, give me life
Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering “Water,” YVY MARAEY’s seductive fourth career single and her first release of the year (out February 17, 2023). Based in Berlin, Germany and with heritage spanning both continental Europe and Brazil, YVY MARAEY has slowly emerged over the past year with a striking contemporary R&B sound, thoroughly blended with elements of Brazilian music. In addition to infusing Bossa Nova and hip-hop into her work, MARAEY’s first first three singles “A FAMÍLIA” (ft. Mike Nasa & Noah Slee), “Dança da Solidão,” and most recently “Olé” have all incorporated, or been sung entirely in Portuguese – making “Water” the artist’s first and only all-English release, to date.
Billed as a “multi-cultural coalescence,” “Water” is the product of cross-cultural and even cross-continental collaboration. Maraey, who lived in Auckland, New Zealand, for a year, teamed up with Kiwi-born guitarist/producer Simon Abela, singer/songwriter and producer Noah Slee, and Rwandan-Kiwi rapper Raiza Biza to bring to life this gorgeous musical celebration of, and reckoning with, our natural roots. A layer of rich, radiant vocal harmonies makes for a stunning sonic base, atop which MARAEY’s golden vocals soar softly and sweetly alongside lush key, pulsing bass, and cool, relaxed drums.
Raiza Biza’s verse:
Couple folks that wanna see me fail but we prevail
Balance love & hate right on the libra scale
I wanna little weed and beer but wanna feed the frail
I wanna see my legacy but wanna leave it here
Tryna see the plan tryna be the man
I’m forever young I’m just Peter Pan, but
Had to get it done had to feed the fam
When it’s said and done it’s just me and them yeah
Watchin the water reminds me it’s just water under the bridge
Even the people that mutter and whisper under their breath
Now I just walk around proud in the skin that I’m comfortable in
Water flows under the bridge, yeah yeah
The “Water” music video, directed by YVY MARAEY and award-winning Auckland director Connor Pritchard, enhances the song’s messaging with stunning visuals of New Zealand’s rugged natural beauty. Whether she’s standing at the base of a trickling waterfall, sitting high up in the branches of a gnarly oak tree, or perched on the ledge of a massive rocky outcrop, YVY MARAEY ensures we come away from “Water” feeling fully submerged in its essence.
“The song “Water” makes me think of my roots, which automatically brings me back to the feeling of being in nature,” the artist tells Atwood Magazine. “For me, the most sacred moments are when I get to connect with the natural world – it’s always the best medicine. It reminds me of everything being a constant cycle of growth.”
“This also inspired me to want to shoot the music video in stunning New Zealand. Literally all the shots are demonstrating the unique beauty of Aotearoa. I got to live in Auckland for over a year and fell in love with the power of this amazing nature and the strong indigenous culture of the Māori people.”
Drink this water (drink it)
Drink this water give me life
Drink this water (drink it)
Drink this water give me life
If water is life, and life is good, then there is no denying the simple truth that water is good.
Within this simple sentiment is a vast fountain of emotion and intent, just as YVY MARAEY’s act of drinking the water goes well beyond a simple thirst. “Water” is a beautiful, soul-stirring reflection on life itself; on what it means to be present on this Earth, and to be alive and in the moment. Take a sip and stream YVY MARAEY and Raiza Biza’s new single, exclusively on Atwood Magazine!
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Stream: “Water” – YVY MARAEY ft. Raiza Biza
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