AYOKAY SHARES NEW SINGLE & VIDEO!
“I Still Need You” — the captivating new single from L.A.-based artist/vocalist/producer ayokay. Released via Astralwerks, the track is accompanied by an official video that continues the mysterious narrative begun with ayokay’s acclaimed recent single “Better With You.” Go HERE to download/stream “I Still Need You,” and check out the video HERE.
On “I Still Need You,” ayokay again reveals his gift for crafting emotionally honest electronic songs that take the listener on an unpredictable journey. To that end, the track foregrounds his soul-stirring melodies and vulnerable lyrics while embedding its soundscape with endlessly surprising details: warped textures, bright and dizzying beats, shimmering pulses of synth. In that sophisticated sound design, the Detroit-bred musician showcases the boundless ingenuity he’s also brought to his work in producing for hitmakers like Carly Rae Jepsen and Grouplove.
“I still need you” is the best representation of the sound of my new album. It tells the story of a relationship that extremely formative to me both creatively and as a human being during the process of putting this project together,” says ayokay. “It merges the upbeat progressive and ambient electronic worlds that have been inspiring me the most lately, topped with an emotional vocal that tells a story I felt I needed to get off my chest.”
Directed by Jonah George, the video for “I Still Need You” returns to the surreal setting of “Better With You” — a visual whose protagonist finds himself entangled with an enigmatic woman who’s created a computer system that allows her to enter into another reality. In “I Still Need You,” we watch along with the pink-haired woman as she observes the nostalgic-tinged images that appear on her monitor screen, seemingly generated from the depths of the protagonist’s memory. From there, the camera follows the female character in her extreme solitude as the video continues to blur the edges of reality, leaving viewers to reflect on her possible motives and intent.
Released in July, “Better With You” earned praise from the likes of Euphoria (who noted that “the track brandishes bouncing, hazy synths that swaddle the vocals and evoke vibes of a summer night spent contemplating decisions”) and of E! (who hailed it as the perfect choice for fans of Harry Styles’s Fine Line or Zedd’s “Stay the Night”). His first release for Astralwerks, “Better With You” arrived as ayokay’s first new music since his widely lauded 2019 EP we come alive.
Now at work on a new album (due out early next year), ayokay first emerged with his 2016 debut single “Kings of Summer” feat. Quinn XCII, a gold-certified track that’s amassed over 125 million streams on Spotify to date. Over the years, he’s racked up more than 350 million global catalogue streams on Spotify, headlined sold-out shows at such notable venues as New York City’s Bowery Ballroom and The Roxy in L.A., and played major festivals like Electric Forest and BottleRock Napa Valley. A vital force in the pop/electronic world, he spent much of 2020 producing for other artists, including executive-producing Quinn XCII’s fourth studio album Change of Scenery II and working on forthcoming albums from Chelsea Cutler and Jeremy Zucker.
About ayokay:
Born Alex O’Neill, Detroit-bred artist/vocalist/producer ayokay first burst onto the scene with his breakthrough single “Kings Of Summer,” featuring his childhood friend and frequent collaborator Quinn XCII. Since its arrival in summer 2016, the song has amassed over 125 million streams on Spotify and received gold certification from the RIAA. After delivering his debut EP in 2017, ayokay continued his upward momentum by releasing his acclaimed full-length debut In the Shape of a Dream in 2018. Featuring collaborations with Jeremy Zucker, Nightly, Future Jr., and more, the album includes several songs that find ayokay handling lead vocals for the first time. The following year, ayokay returned with we come alive., a six-track effort that ranges from festival-ready electro-pop to experimental anthems made for late-night drives. Shortly after the EP’s release he embarked on his first national headline tour, selling out such notable venues Bowery Ballroom (NYC) and The Roxy (Los Angeles). A sought-after producer/remixer who’s worked with hitmakers like Carly Rae Jepsen and Grouplove, ayokay has garnered over 350 million global catalogue streams on Spotify and earned critical praise from such outlets as Billboard, Earmilk, Variance Magazine, and more.