FEATURE

Tender, intimate, and casually cheerful, Sasha Joy’s latest single, “To Stay,” invites the sweet warmth of romance right in time for the indoor season.

“To Stay” blends a gentle acoustic groove with the sophistication of a jazzy love ballad. There aren’t too many bells and whistles in the mix of “To Stay.” Gentle backing vocals boost the lead melody, creating a chorus of soulful vocalizations. Joy’s own crooning voice guides the track through the story of desire, loss, and eventual companionship. The timbre of each instrument is heard and felt, the snap of guitar strings adding a percussive quality that is both playful and personal. That rawness creates a spontaneous feeling, complemented by the vocalizations picking up in the last minute of the song. Instrumentation with a few synth and keys moments, but mostly staying in the intimate feel of a live acoustic session (is that a cajon I hear?).

This song is catchy, and not just because I listened to it about 25 times. It naturally swings with a steady pulse that one can’t help but bob along to until the end. With a chorus like that, there are a lot of possibilities to blast open any element with a larger voice, amp up the synth, maybe add a drum track…instead Sasha Joy and Sanga Toto tune into the gentler, jazzier atmosphere. The music you put on to relax and get comfortable, whether on your way home from work or hosting a fancy dinner party. Its easy listening doesn’t compromise any lyrical storytelling. The journey follows the singer through the oscillations of romance, whether in the question of staying or going or the internal doubts and regrets one grapples with. Accompanied by a delightful key change in the bridge and steady shifting backing vocals, the details of the song weave around her own beautiful writing and singing. While Joy’s voice may sound understated, it definitely takes the forefront, bopping along with the simplicity of raw emotion.

Joy herself expresses a vision perfectly embodied by exactly that sound: aiming to create personal music that goes for connection instead of spectacle. The refreshing perspective also points to her inspirations in classics such as Lauryn Hill, Norah Jones, and Amy Winehouse. If inspiration is any source of manifestation, it may also mean that despite a close and intimate sound, she may also be headed for international recognition. Keep listening…

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