"We Keep On” Keeping on with Aqyila
If you’ve ever known the feeling of being silently whisked around on a mahogany steed underneath a once-brilliantly coloured carousel canvas, you may understand where Toronto artist Aqyila is coming from in “We Keep On”.
In a ride lacking in shock factors and turbulence, she’s found herself no longer considering the expected as a welcome delight. Aqyila knows she deserves more than is being offered and is increasingly enticed to step down off the revolving platform.
The song introduces a simple yet cheeky synth phrase, symbolic of the cyclical nature of her and her partner’s issues. Aqyila’s voice is calm and endearing as she sings to us her disappointment.
“The sun is shining/But I feel no rays.” You know when you can see everyone else having the time of your lives and want that so badly for yourself? The “when is it my turn” thoughts? Aqyila lets her partner know that she’s given it her all but it’s time to let go. She has no bitterness for that person and is happy to take her wins and see the sun for herself. She has seen the good, the bad and the ugly, with no approaching signs of the great.
“We keep on doing the same thing / it happens everyday / I hate feeling this way”..At some point in a ride like this, the spark will inevitably fade. Being tethered to a sine wave could very well destroy the healthiest minds.. But that’s not Aqyila.
As the second verse spins into focus, we hear each instrument in a muted state. She sings, “Say you wanna change..I know, I know.. /Repeating all those things I heard before.” Not everyone is lucky enough to reach this point of no return. Although her days may continue in this circle of her partner’s ignorance, Aqyila has taken matters into her own hands and is ready to experience brighter and productive days.
Following another hook, the instrumentals nod one last time to the melody on the synth, as Aqyila confirms that there is nothing left to say. I can’t wait to see what more this rising star has in store for 2023 following her dazzling EP called “For The Better”.
Written By Kimberly Moon-Chong
