West London singer-songwriter Jaixia introduces her new folk-pop single, “This Life is a Video Game, a poignant, alluring song about love, loss, and life.
Jaixia explains, “This song is about how life often reminds me of the video games I used to play when I was little. There are all these different levels, each one teaching you new skills… Sometimes you have to restart from rock bottom, but you already have the formula to getting back to where you were. Some may cheat, but I’ve never seen the fun in that… it’s the journey that counts.”
Influenced by artists such as Joni Mitchell, Susan Cadogan, and Sade, Jaixia’s sound encompasses a wide-ranging and expressive palette, including R&B, pop, soul, and folk elements. Jaixia wrote her first song, “No Quitter,” when she was 12 years old. Taking her mother’s advice, she flips the narrative and routes her emotions through music.
Opening with bewitching lyrics – “where do we go when we’re gone?” – atop an elegiac guitar, Jaixia’s ethereal voice immediately captures listeners’ attention. A gentle rhythm enters, as lightly shimmering leitmotifs glide overhead. As the rhythm takes on more heft, Jaixia’s delicate, evocative vocals imbue the lyrics with soft, breathy nuances, giving the song delicious style and tenderness.
At once intuitive and affecting, there’s a mesmeric quality to Jaixia’s velvety voice, suffusing the tune with silky, subtle textures that create lusciously redolent sonic surfaces.
With “This Life is a Video Game,” Jaixia exhibits not only her undeniable gift for songwriting but also her crème de la crème voice.