TORONTO HOMETOWN HEROES AR PAISLEY AND ALI GATIE STAKE A CLAIM ON TORONTO’S RAP SCENE WITH HEARTFELT HIPHOP RELEASE “MIA”
Tapping longtime friend and now collaborator, platinum recording artist Ali Gatie, Toronto’s AR Paisley releases “MIA.” The single, which features Jay Track’s cinematic production, brims with reliability and vulnerability. “MIA” follows Paisley’s recent release “Supply and Demand” with rising Punjabi artist Harsh Likhari. It is an addictive melody fueled by Paisley’s sharp wordplay, complemented by Gatie’s lush vocals, bearing a heartfelt message of life’s complex tides and relationship toils.
The new track, which arrives alongside cinematic visuals directed and shot by director masterminds Tango and Shot by Savvy and edited by Charlton Visuals, captures the striking landscapes of Los Angeles alongside passionate clips of estranged lovers. Underscoring a message of resilience to weather the storm of heartbreak and uncertainty, MIA is a reminder of the nature of love and opportunity.
AR Paisley is quickly securing his status as the new titan of Toronto rap. With previous releases ‘Only You’ and ‘Supply and Demand’ nodding to a nostalgic era of hip hop Paisley reveals his views on relationships on the new release stating, “Relationships come with a lot of conflicts. Up & downs, I wrote my verse about the negative aspects of a toxic relationship” The song bears significance to both Paisley and Ali Gatie, who met in elementary school, and established a tight bond. The release also marks a full circle moment for both artists, who grew up on Paisley Blvd, a community that played a large role in shaping them as artists. ‘MIA’ stands as their first official collaboration since first connecting for Ali’s first studio session years prior.
Of the sonic sanctuary for the brokenhearted, Ali Gatie says,
“Everyone has that experience with a person that’s constantly in and out of their life, always indecisive and never sure of what they want. That’s what we wrote MIA about”