Thai singer-songwriter Pyra finally released her highly anticipated 6-track EP, fkn bad pt.1, her major label debut via Warner Music.
Released today (August 20), fkn bad pt.1 sees the artist reflect on Thailand’s current socio-economic condition through a blend of electropop, R&B, and hip hop that Pyra dubs as “dystopian pop.”
The EP includes previous singles, “Yellow Fever” (featuring Indonesia’s Ramengvrl and Japan’s Yayoi Daimon), “Bangkok,” “Plastic World,” and “Dystopia,” plus two never-before-heard tracks, “Paper Promises” and “Suicide Spirit.”
According to a press statement, lead single “Paper Promises” is a “direct response to the Thai government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.” Pyra shares that the track “explores my tiredness towards humans and the meaningless killings driven by greed.” She went on to describe the track as a “look into how easy it is to trample upon others for personal gain, particularly among politicians and authoritative figures. Promises are fragile like thin sheets of paper—and that thin sheet of paper is money… They throw us sugar-coated lies to make us vote for them then eventually crushes our dream in the end.” Closing track “Suicide Spirits” details her struggles with depression.
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See fkn bad pt.1’s tracklist:
- bangkok
- yellow fever (feat. Ramengvrl and YAYOI DAIMON)
- paper promises
- plastic world
- dystopia
- suicide spirits
Yesterday, August 19, Pyra dropped a music video teaser for “Paper Promises,” which will be out today. The music video features a despondent Pyra following a trail of money in a retro-video game inspired visual. The music video flashes “game over” at the end, signifying that the world is at a loss when it is too centered on money.
Fkn bad pt.1 is the second EP from the Bangkok-based musician. Her first EP, Better Being: Suriya focused on healing from depression translated through ethereal whisper-vocals, while fkn bad pt.1 is characterized by darker, heavier beats and sharp lyrics. Currently, Pyra aims to use her feisty vocals and dark, satirical humor to invoke change as she comments on various topics, including social justice, consumerism, mental health, and more. As she tells VICE, “When one person stands up and speaks, it empowers others. It’s natural energy that can never be defeated.”
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The artist told NME a sequel, fkn bad pt.2 EP, will be out later this year followed by a deluxe album in early 2022.
Stream fkn bad pt.1 in full below:
Original reporting by Anisha Khemlani
