ALi Gives Us Insight Into His Music

We dig a little deeper into this artists songs as he explains what his motivations were on his newest album

Afterlife: This song was the perfect opener for me because it details something semi-emotional, and i wanted to address anything of that nature right off the bat so that we can move on from that and listen to the rest of the album, which is very care-free and fun. i’d rather get the “heavy” topics out of the way first. the strings are so beautiful and a highlight for sure on this record.

Sour Candy: i think it’s very important to recognize when you are being taken advantage of. this song talks about reclaiming confidence and being able to put your foot down in certain situations where you feel as if your being used. it’s basically me re-claiming the power, and the production really conveys that as well, as it’s very heavy and powerful. i like to think of this song as a sequel to a song on my previous album, ‘sophomore’, which is called ‘big, bad people’ which talks about something similar.

Get Ur Ass: this song was very out of my comfort zone cause it’s a reggaeton track. people who come in to your life, create problems, and then try to walk away from it without people knowing a thing are really scary. they should be lucky that they weren’t caught and it’s very important to carefully choose who is in and out of your life.

Comfortable: this is a pure pop track i did, which is also something very new to me. i have this big insecurity of getting to comfortable with people because i used to get super clingy to people, which usually resulted in them exiting my life. i’m not clingy anymore, but every time someone would leave, i’d wonder “why do i get so comfortable with people because it always results in them leaving my life?”. i’m very cautious now and always make sure with people that i’m not talking to much, asking for to much, or being annoying. i’d rather be cautious than have more people leave me.

Cry A Little More: this was the first track i release from the album and it’s definitely one of my favorites. it’s like this disco/funk situation, and it talks about the highs and lows of what i felt in lockdown. sometimes i’d be really happy and sometimes id be really sad. whenever i felt sad, i felt like it was better to accept the sadness and embrace it because letting it all out, or “crying”, would be the first step to feeling better. 

Outside: while in my home, i desperately missed going outside of it. i couldn’t do simple things anymore, like going to the movies with friends or eating at a restaurant. i speak silly wrote it about not being able to go visit family in Atlanta. it’s just about desperately waiting for the day to go out again and that eagerness. the production is hyper-pop esque, and charli xcx really inspired this one.

Solo: i think what i have to give to the world is something unique, especially when it comes to making friends. lots of people say i’m not a typical person my age and that i’m really out here and unique. this song talks about that and how i think you’d want to keep me around in your life. there’s this metaphor on how you’d keep your red, solo cup at a party close to you, and so i relate that to keeping me close in people’s lives because i have a lot to offer.

B!tch I’m Foreign: this is one of those songs where i’m just trying to have fun and not be serious at all. the beat has this hip-hop bounce with some desi drums. all i talk about is how i’m a foreigner and i’m pakistani. i feel like a lot of people try to take credit away from Pakistan in terms of their position in the world and what they do, like drilling oil. pakistan is underrated and people need to give the country more credit.

End Of It All: throughout quarantine and lockdown, i constantly had this thought of “is this the end of the world?”. this song just details what my state was throughout that time. sometimes you’d catch me with “taki chip crumbs on my bed” doing nothing, other times i was being active, and some times i was just getting in my head thinking too much. the trap beat is super slick and i was basically speed-singing on it. my friend also makes an appearance on this track and it’s super funny.

Real And Fake: when lockdown started, i started to finally see who my real friends were and who the other people were. the real people stuck around and the other ones i sort of lost touch with. this song talks about finally seeing who’s real and fake. i also talked about personal things that happened to me this year and how the “fake” people never even cared to reach out to me. the tropical, trap beat is super summery and it really matched the vibe of the song overall.

Time To Go Home: i’ve always wanted to create a song in the vein of 100 gecs, but still make it my own. i think this song conveys that really well. it was specifically inspired by this one night with friends where i was just having so much fun out. i felt a sense of freedom after being locked in for so long. when i had come home that night, i was like “back to being locked in till next week when my parents let me go out”. it’s such an escape to go out of your home and gain new experiences, but then when it’s time to go home after all that, it’s bittersweet. my favorite part in this song is definitely the intro and outro. the vocoders and harmonies compliment the grungy production really well.

Party: this song is about finally being able to put your foot down and not let toxic people back into your life, no matter how hard they try. they’re gonna try to come “party” with you, but you finally have the confidence and power to say no and realize they weren’t benefiting your life in anyway. the circus influence in the song is a reference to how this person is a clown for thinking they can enter your life again. the trap beat is so powerful and i love the horns because it adds a celebratory vibe to the song.

Dancing: i never wanted the overall state of the world to let me down too much throughout the past year and a half. i never knew when things were gonna get better, and at first i thought that was scary, but then i realized that it’s ok. i don’t know what tomorrow holds, nor the day after, but all i can do is make the most of every moment and cherish it. dancing is a metaphor for keeping yourself up and moving to feel better despite things going on around you. i wanted to stay positive and not let myself get too down because of the state of the world. it’s a celebration of happiness and accepting the fact that it’s ok to not know what the future holds, and that we must cherish every moment of life.