FEATURES
Some family bands begin in their youth. The Royaies began this year with the idea for their first single “Princesa” just released in September. The group, based after their last name Royaies, shows off their self-described multicultural sound-- implementing Latin trap beats, their Persian upbringing sampling Middle Eastern instrumentals and utilizing a poetic-rap hybrid of songwriting from Arvin and U.K. hip-hop from Elijah’s time in England, and Canadian rap culture influenced by Torontonian artists Drake and The Weeknd. All of these elements show both the band’s geographical and creative history that makes their sounds diverse and fun-loving, experimenting with the same pop sound as their contemporaries.
“We are open to exploring any kind of music and experiment with different tones and styles based on the content of that music and the message we want to deliver,” says Elijah. “ Our diverse sounds come from living and growing up around different cultures and countries.; from the Middle East to the UK and Toronto. Our uniqueness and versatility is on full display in our latest project,“Princesa” says Arvin.
Arvin the Poet and his brother and bandmate Elijah were born in Tehran, Iran. Arvin relocated to Toronto years ago and was followed by Elijah in 2019. Influenced by Persian poet Hafez, whose 13th-century stanzas talk about love and hedonism, the Royaies’ themes in their songwriting so far are parallel in veering into themes about love and life experiences, while following their musical passion.
“Music was always my passion but I had a lot of obstacles in my way, I overcame all of them in pursuit of my dream. I started this and now I can’t stop” says Arvin. “I am truly inspired by Hans Zimmer and the way he communicates with the audience through musical notes. I just think this is a language every human being understands” says Elijah.
“Princesa'' is about the group imagining how they would pursue the woman they love. It’s an internal monologue backed by a beat akin to their inspirations rappers Dave and Drake’s ambient and R&B undertones, while singing parts of the song bi-lingually in both Spanish and English. Their symbiotic dynamic as both family and co-creators is what makes the group and their willingness to experiment with sound, looking towards jazz and retro sounds from all eras, as well as potentially writing futuristic-sounding singles as both a group and as solo artists. The Royaies songwriting process is a collaborative effort from all four through workshop-like writing sessions, brainstorming separately and then sharing which ideas would work best for their music.
“Music is the best way for us to express our emotions, talk freely about what we have been through and encourage those dealing with tough times to get through it like us.” Arvin explains.
And while the Royaies are fresh onto the music scene, they are looking ahead with ambition. The group has several singles in the works, an album being planned, and aiming to tour locally and then internationally--looking to show their diverse sounds to the world.