Thai-Chilean, NYC native, multi-hyphenate artist, Araya, today shares his stunning new album, Ethos. Listen to the ‘raw, colorful’ (NPR) intersection of R&B and electronic music featuring contributions from Y2K, DJ_Dave, LUCA, and more, HERE.

Known for his visceral, striking music videos & artwork, Araya is also a prolific visual artist, creating highly curated worlds for his music to live in. Watch the new 2-for-1 visual for ‘Adore’ & ‘Pretty Lies’ HERE.

On Ethos, Araya grapples with purpose, identity, and spirituality, and more, as he mixes vintage and futuristic sounds into a transfixing blend of R&B, soul, hip-hop, and electronic music — recalling artists like Tirzah, Erika de Casier, or Blood Orange. NPR Music, Teen Vogue, Remezcla, SPIN, and more, have recently sung Araya’s praisesand he was also chosen for Spotify’s Fresh Finds Program alongside Doss, Toledo and Pom Pom Squad. He was also named the most streamed artist on the entire Spotify Fresh Finds playlist in 2021. 

Born and raised in Long Island, NY, Araya attended FIT and trained to be a graphic designer and photographer, while dreaming of pursuing a career in music. “My music is mainly inspired by curiosity to forever learn and further investigate certain parts of myself that have led me to a deeper understanding of my place here. Music has provided me a space to dissect my thoughts & experiences in an organic way that is lasting. The drafts of both my perspective and choices come to represent me and my journey,” he says.

For the recording of Ethos, Araya and his bandmates (Goode, Luca Cuni, and Will Catucci) returned to the same studio in rural Connecticut where they’d captured his breakout debut, Atlas, holing up for a series of multi-day sessions in which they’d completely lose themselves in the music. Throughout the album, acknowledging insecurities and how we deal with them in our daily lives is a recurring theme: the driving “Archon” and sultry “Candy” reflect on the ways that bravado and swagger often hide trauma and self doubt, while the rap-tinged “Blue” grapples with the fear of waiting for something that never arrives, and the aching “Again” sits with the hurt of loss and rejection.

Ultimately, though, Ethos arrives at a place of acceptance, a recognition that the pain of vulnerability is worth the peace and gratitude that comes from truly knowing yourself and your purpose in this world. The result is a striking, existential record that balances the intellectual and the visceral in equal measure. “The Greeks used the word ‘ethos’ to describe the power that music had to shape people,” says Araya, “and I think these songs have really helped shape the person I’ve become.” 

Araya will celebrate the Ethos album release tonight Tuesday Feb 22nd, 2022 at The Jane Hotel in NYC with a listening event — RSVP HERE