Saya Gray: Plunging into Fierce Eccentricism
For her self-titled fourth album, Saya personifies a strangeness that we all have in common.
A few days ago, the sun came out in Boston. It was a fortunate day that wasn’t plagued by wind. There was something in the air, that specific feeling all around. It sunk under my skin and buried in my heart. The feeling of spring coming again. This is the exact feeling I had just a few days later listening to Saya Gray’s latest album, SAYA.
I was scrolling on Tidal, and I had a new recommended album by an artist I’ve never heard of before. I usually take time to add albums to my list to listen later, but something about this album called out to me. The cover art caught me, it’s her pictured in very white makeup, her face decorated with wire and very Victorian looking blush and lips. I said to myself, I have some time now. What a great moment.
I was more than pleasantly surprised. The opening to this album filled me with springtime and the echoes of a melting winter. I’m not sure what it is exactly. There was something in the orchestration that was undeniable. The songs go from bubbly to twangy, to robotic to strung out with ease. The sounds used are ethereal and moody, conveying an overall image of the chaos inside someone’s brain. It’s like peering inside a miniature door or perhaps falling down a rabbit hole. The themes of love, loss, and self-discovery complete this album, and overall it has been one of favorite releases of 2025.
After being so moved by this album, I had to know who this woman was. Who was responsible for this depiction of life? Saya Gray is one of the most interesting artists I’ve come to learn about. The Japanese Canadian artist seems to have always defied convention. She learned piano before she could speak, dropped out of high school, moved to London, couch hopped, spent time pole-dancing, watched many friends struggle with drug abuse, and constantly changed her aesthetic to better understand each way of life. The always changing Saya Gray, is actually quite consistent. She embraces life, in all its twists, turns and trends. She stares in the face of our world and threatens to be herself despite the pressures to conform. We can all learn a lesson from her stark individuality, talent and commitment to honoring herself.
Saya has other music out as well, and although they are not the same vibe as her self-titled album, they all offer something new. Something different. Saya is an artist to watch, not because I think she will receive fame or praise (which I do happen to think), but because she has stands for something we desperately need in our world today. Individuality. Authenticity. Eccentricism. Tolerance. Beauty.
Written by Alexa Marie