hachajah Reclaims Story Forged in Turmoil While Empathizing with Chronically Unexpressed Souls

MA, UNITED STATES, November 20, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- It’s not uncommon for artists to draw from their personal lives to shape their musical identities—but few artists carry experiences as heavy, or as formative, as hachajah. Growing up in Colombo, Sri Lanka, his childhood unfolded in the shadows of war, a place where uncertainty lingered in each day and violence and its effects were learned early. Those memories, marked by conflict and resilience, shape the foundation of his original, blended sound. Now based in Boston, Massachusetts, he uses music not just as an expression, but as a way to reclaim his story forged in the turmoil of the war-torn homeland he loves.

Music has always been part of his life, but in 2023, he embarked on a bold new solo venture to redefine a cappella—aiming to shatter long-held expectations of the genre and bring a whole new dimension to mainstream audiences. Listeners will still hear energetic pop-rock melodies but supported by multiple layers of vocal effects and intertwined with powerful South Asian narratives and beats—all expressed through the power of a singular voice and an uncompromising vision.

His debut EP burst onto the scene in 2024, securing eight nominations at the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs)—the Grammys of the a cappella world—winning awards for Best Song by a Solo Performer and Best Semi-Professional/Post-Collegiate Album or EP. But his newest EP, What Lies Within, goes further. Across five tracks, he leans into raw emotion and deeper truths, unearthing the complex narratives that have long lived beneath the surface. It reveals an artist not just refining his craft but reckoning with where he comes from—and forging a new path with unwavering clarity.

Words are the ultimate vessel of connection, the means by which one soul reaches another. But for some people, it is a constant struggle. Something constrains them, keeping their words tied down in the shadows of their own mind, trapped by a suffocating “Mind Gag”. In this song, hachajah delivers stark, emotionally charged lines—quiet, edged with a hint of venom.

His expression captures the desperate efforts of those who fight to free themselves from the chains that bind their voice. Each section of the song heightens the tension, intensifying the listener’s experience.

Mixed by a cappella virtuoso Ed Boyer (Pitch Perfect movies, The Voice, etc.) and mastered by Grammy Award-winner Bill Hare, the track is a full-bodied, cinematic piece that portrays the distress of a lonely soul fighting against the pull of an inward darkness. “Mind Gag is a song that empathizes with people who suffer from being chronically unheard, with thoughts and feelings left unexpressed, which have led to deep-seated frustration,” says hachajah. And for those who know all too well about the frustrations of being trapped in the abyss of one’s mind, one sentiment rings out loud and clear: they are not alone.

For hachajah, festering frustration and silence conjure the vivid, unsettling image of being chained in a basement—“lurking in shadow…with no place to go.” Teaming up with director Nayip Ramos and a team of like-minded creatives, hachajah gives form to the inner workings of the human mind, unearthing a desolate reality smothered in dirt, grime, doom, and gloom. Their collective vision culminated in the music video for Mind Gag, which was recognized by the International Music Video Awards (IMVAs) as the Best Drama Music Video of 2025.

Chained to a chair in an empty room, his stare cuts straight through the camera, as if viewers were witnessing the precise moment he reaches his breaking point. Fleeting visions of the “outside” flash across his mind as he strains against the restraints imposed by his own psyche. Disoriented and exhausted, he pulls with everything he has, stumbling toward the light. Just when it seems he is about to surrender, a shimmering butterfly escapes from his mouth—one beautiful thought finally breaking free—a glowing sign that the struggle has been worth it.

Andrew Gesner
HIP Video Promo
+1 732-613-1779
info@hipvideopromo.com

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