Vada Vada

Over the months I spent in quarantine before school began this fall, I had nothing to look forward to but the internet. As good as that sounds, it didn’t satisfy my boredom until I began to branch out into unknown internet worlds. Reddit, Spotify, and Youtube were essential tools in finding out my new obsession: Vada Vada.

Vada Vada is “a term that represents total freedom of expression without boundaries or guidelines of any sort,” according to creators of the genre, The Garden. There are around 6 acts under the genre, each with their own sound and image. In Vada Vada, no one sounds the same, and that is what makes it interesting.

Speaking of The Garden, I first found out about them when I was listening to an artist on Spotify known as Enjoy. His song “Small Car Big Wheels” had become a staple throughout the month when the Spotify algorithm decided I would love this song (p.s. I did). After around my millionth listen, my curiosity sparked to know more about this artist. So, I decided to check out their Spotify page. I am truly thankful I did as it explained to me that Enjoy is actually Wyatt Shears of the band The Garden, which his twin brother is also in. Quickly, I went in search for The Garden.

Over the proceeding weeks, I listened to The Garden nonstop; their sound captivated every inch of my being. Songs like Thy Mission, Vexation, Banana Peel, etc. all had details that made them so addicting, and their visuals definitely added to their charm. I recommend Mirror Might Steal Your Charm as an introductory album.

As time progressed, I learned about Cowgirl Clue, another artist under the Vada Vada label that I came to love immensely. She has a fairy/genie concept that is prominent throughout her music videos, such as Icebreaker. Apart from being Cowgirl Clue, she is also Ashley Clue, a creative mind helping out the different artists of Vada Vada, such as The Garden, Enjoy, Puzzle, and Slater. I would recommend Icebreaker as an introductory album and her Instagram page for some aesthetic visuals.

As I had mentioned before, The Garden is Wyatt Shears (Enjoy) and his twin brother, Fletcher, who goes by Puzzle for his side project. Although I haven’t explored Puzzle all that much, his songs are creative masterpieces that let you visualize distant realities. I recommend listening to Loose Cannon or I Saw An Angel, two of his most famous masterpieces.

Lastly, Slater. To say that I love Slater is an understatement. His concept of being a spy gives him an immense amount of creative power. His album, Flight 777, has interesting songs that help you visualize his spy storyline, and his music video for Jonah Hillz is pure art. I would definitely recommend those two as an introduction to Slater.

Overall, if you’re ever bored on the internet, don’t be scared to branch out into new internet worlds. You’ll never know where your next obsession will be. Mine was Vada Vada, yours could be little animals in sweaters.

For More Vada Vada content, check out @__vadavada__ on instagram