Indie-folk duo Ersha Island 二沙岛 celebrates a transformative journey with their debut EP, 'Back To Our Roots'. Exploring their mixed identities and Chinese heritage, the siblings offer a deeply personal exploration of identity and belonging, layering reflective, personal sounds with gorgeous indie-folk and alt-pop melodies.
Throughout the EP, Ersha Island 二沙岛 reflects their commitment to representing their cultural backgrounds, featuring collaborations with artists like EDYONTHEBEAT, Geoff Ong, and Iris Zhang. Songs like 'My Mother’s Mountains and My Father’s Sea 母亲的山，父亲的海' embrace their multifaceted background through a fusion of cultural sounds and ethereal vocals, while elsewhere, lead single 'Beijing 北京' revisits formative, yet challenging, years spent in Beijing as classical music students.
The EP is an engaging tapestry of emotive storytelling, intricate harmonies, and cultural introspection, reflecting their mixed Chinese and New Zealand heritage. As the siblings shared, "On what their EP means for them, the siblings shared, “This EP is an exploration into our Chinese and mixed-race identity, a celebration of culture, and empowerment by heritage. Drawing inspiration from our 爷爷's (Grandfather) recorded stories and experimenting with Chinese traditional instruments, we've woven these elements into our contemporary sound.”
'Back To Our Roots' offers an emotionally resonant and culturally rich listening experience. Ersha Island 二沙岛 establishes themselves as a compelling voice exploring the complexities of navigating multiple cultural worlds. Together, Ersha Island 二沙岛 crafts a unique sound, intertwining traditional Chinese instruments with folk and pop elements. Their music invites listeners to share in their experiences and unpack their own journeys of cultural identity.
Comprising Chinese-Pākeha siblings, Danielle and Tee Hao-Aickin, the duo merges their classical training from the China Conservatory of Music with contemporary indie-folk sensibilities. Their music is a tapestry of emotive storytelling, intricate harmonies, and cultural introspection, reflecting their mixed heritage.
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