Toronto rapper and songwriter M.Y.A. WRITER continues to observe life through two lenses with the release of his debut double-track: “WORLDISAMESS (ANGEL)” and “WORLDISAMESS (DEMON)” — available now.
The multiple versions of the single signify the different paths of life we can take, the Toronto-based artist explains. “The world is a mess, and how we react to it going forward will reveal a lot about us,” he adds. “Feelings like anger, sadness, and heartbreak are valid, but so too is acceptance and making peace with our reality for the sake of progress.
“This is why my first single has two versions: To tell this story, the one we’re all still writing together.”
With a pen name that pays tribute to his birth name, Mohammed Yousuf Ahmadi, and Middle Eastern heritage, M.Y.A. WRITER is from North York, Ontario’s 5 Field Sparroway with a University background in Physics.
Ultimately, however, it wasn’t the path for him, and M.Y.A. WRITER formally stepped out of the degree path shortly after. “I took the financial risk of withdrawing from the program knowing I had accrued debt for essentially nothing but the experience,” he shares. “I’m trying to beat the odds by taking a chance on myself and telling the stories I have to tell both as a person of colour and as a person who sees in so much colour.
“I grew up in a poor community with a history of gun violence and minor gang activity. My parents emigrated from Afghanistan, and were hoping for what most immigrants usually hope for: A better life, a safe community for their children, and being able to afford the right opportunities.
“In the community I grew up in, my parents were often too afraid to let us outside to play. Since I grew up sheltered and spent most of my time inside the tight confines of an apartment building with a family of six (at the time), most of my childhood was devoted to creating my own stories.
“This was my first love — writing — and I knew my writing and soul were too creative to be confined by the neat margins of a thesis page.”
And write, he does. Although a keen ear can tell the lyrics are mostly similar for “WORLDISAMESS (Angel)” and “WORLDISAMESS (Demon),” there are slight, subtle deviations at different parts; the main difference in both tracks is the sound with the “Angel” version a naturally light-hearted, acoustic song, while “Demon” plays rougher as a more rock-type take on the track.
“The multiple versions represent the multiple paths one can take on the journey of life. It will be an interesting task for fans to spot all the differences!”
