Maggie masterfully balances individuality on ‘U.L.A EP

Lost within the realms of Asia and it’s surroundings emerging producer Maggie Tra releases her empowering debut EP ‘U.L.A’ (U Look Asian).

Leaning on the connotations of the title, the tongue-in-cheek EP ‘U.L.A’ acts as homage to Maggie’s upbringing. The 4-track EP is a composition of sounds from Khmer and Vietnamese samples that digs into her heritage and seeps through her inner identities on being an Asian brought up in the western world.

Now based in Hanoi, Vietnam, the Australian born Khmer/Vietnamese artist has channeled her inner thoughts and feelings from her upbringing into the EP showcasing a side of Asia that sometimes gets left out.

“‘U.L.A’ is a playful way of me describing what my life is like. Whether a Westerner or an Asian person asks me where I am from after I respond with Australia, they usually say, “But you look Asian”. To be honest it always makes me laugh, because they’re not wrong”

“I often find in modern music that Cambodian and Vietnamese artists’ and music aren’t so integrated. That really what was my main drive to be a producer, I want more people to see my culture for what it is, and embrace the beauty of it for those who have been to these places as well as introducing people who haven’t. And whilst they see my world, I want them to dance,”

The ethereal/electronic EP has a vast variety of sounds compiled into it, alongside Khmer and Vietnamese language entangled between.

Marking a prodigious milestone in her accelerating career, from a DJ to now producer Maggie Tra’s debut EP allows her significance as one of the modern-day Asian artists’ to be appreciated in all of its glory.  

Preserving a strong presence within the world Maggie masterfully balances individuality and embraces the cultures she’s in. Allowing her to bridge the gap between Australia and Asia assisted by carefully curated DJ sets and production.

A weaver of musical fibres, her creations entwine melody, genres and tempos to create her own tapestries. Maggie’s music has been seen on NTS, Worldwide FM, Mixmag Asia and more.

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