Ben Madilynn
‘Isotope’ Short Film Out Now
“Brother-sister duo Olivia Hardy and Will Gao write the kind of music that speaks to their generations’ hard-felt malaise, cut through with a catchy, woozy indie-pop sensibility.”
— i-D
“achingly poignant love songs”
— British Vogue
“An outstanding slice of modern-jazz pop”
— Rolling Stone UK
“Defying genre, their oeuvre meanders between lo-fi bedroom pop, unfurling jazz, and classic-tinged tracks.”
— Wonderland
“one of the UK’s most distinctive new acts…Their music blends elements of jazz, classical and joyful pop into surprising shapes that feel fresh and familiar at the same time.”
— NME
Wasia Project, the musical duo formed by siblings Will Gao (Heartstopper) and Olivia Hardy, release their highly anticipated ‘Isotope’ EP today via AWAL Recordings—a triumphant sonic journey establishing a brand new chapter for the duo. The EP is accompanied by a 20-minute cinematic short film, also released today. Fans can stream the EP HERE and watch the short film HERE.
As a project predicated on the unique creative chemistry between siblings, it feels apt that Will and Olivia’s second EP is named ‘Isotope’. Two distinct branches of the same tree, as Wasia Project, they’ve spent the last five years applying their classical training to wide-eyed jazz-pop, racking up tens of millions of streams, and recently touring the US supporting Laufey and a European arena tour with Tom Odell. Now they’re expanding their horizons even further, pairing their genre-bending pop with an impressive audio-visual concept, showcased in a beautifully cinematic and evocative 20 minute short film.
‘Isotope’ follows the release of the stunning baroque-pop first single “Is This What Love Is?” and the tender and existential ballad “Takes Me Back Home”. Throughout the EP, the familiar warmth of nostalgia dovetails with the discomfort of the unknown, as the duo process experiences of love, anxiety, confusion and hope through a singular voice. “Why did I have to meet you / I was happy where I was,” Olivia rues on “Somebody Come Through” over staccato bass and a frenetic Motorik rhythm. Sonically, the song picks up where last year’s standalone single “Petals On The Moon” left off, using soaring indie-pop as a foil for Olivia’s supple vocal. Elsewhere, “To Get Better” sees Will lending his soothing tones to a tale of self-doubt that features devastating confessions like, “How horrible it feels to be panicking / And, oh, how unsolvable to feel like I’m out of control.” A gorgeous slow-burn, it climaxes in a sonorous solo from guitarist Michael Jablonka.
‘Isotope’ was demoed last September and as classical music scholars, they were arranging strings to bring their cinematic vision to life. The results are showcased on instrumental EP-closer “Tell Me Lies”, a deeply romantic epic embellishing Will’s Rachmaninoff-inspired piano theme with symphonic strings. “Isotope (interlude)” is similarly atmospheric, combining ticking beats and subaqueous synth sounds with woozy, pitch-shifted vocals.
Wasia Project – “Isotope” (Short Film)
Rather than providing standalone videos for the songs, the duo have created a short film, divided into chapters, in collaboration with Creative Director Charlie Drinkwater (Lianne La Havas, Dermot Kennedy, Fontaines DC) and director Charles Gall (English Teacher, Last Dinner Party, Nothing But Thieves). Working with visual reference points including Wong Kar-Wei, Paris Texas and the photography of Daidō Moriyama, the film sees Olivia and Will cast as a single character, and tracks their struggle to navigate a series of labyrinthine scenarios.
Formed in 2019, Wasia Project’s mixed British-Asian heritage and classical training have inspired them to have a global approach to pop, which dynamically melds styles and influences that cut across genre lines — and even entire hemispheres of musical tradition. In their songs they combine classical intellect with spiky disco and freewheeling jazz, in a merging that’s underpinned by the duo’s deep knowledge of distinct musical styles.
The resonance of Olivia’s vocals are comparable to Rickie Lee Jones and Joni Mitchell in richness and maturity, and the band’s melodic complexity and achingly heartfelt lyricism channels the spirit of artists like Mitski, Weyes Blood, and Billie Eilish, who they cite as influences on their sound. Will is also known for his role as Tao Xu in Netflix LGBTQI+ smash hit drama series Heartstopper, and the band’s breakout hit “ur so pretty”, a yearningly romantic piano-led ballad which melded the duo’s jazz and pop sensibilities to sublime effect, was featured in the pivotal final scene of the second series season finale, which aired early August 2023.
Wasia Project are hotly tipped in the press and radio landscapes, with highlights including an NME cover and print features in British Vogue, Rolling Stone UK, and more. They were Amazon Music and British GQ’s Ones To Watch for 2024.
