Melbourne’s ASHA RYDER WEST takes another beautiful stride into 2026 with her latest single, titled ‘DESIRES’. A song about chasing your own sense of purpose and the yearning towards great things, this new slice of alt-pop from the songwriter and musician reaffirms her position as an artist to watch this year.
Expertly playing with light and dark textures, ‘Desires’ navigates themes of personal conflict and emotional release with ease. West’s brand of storytelling through song highlights her emotionally resonant style and makes for a strong addition to her growing body of work.
She says, “This is one of those songs that came together really effortlessly. I sat down to produce and it all fell into place, the lyrics flowed with the same ease. Like most of my songs, the ‘feeling’ came first, which always guides the production and story. I was stuck between chasing and this real craving to surrender and let go.”
Along with the release of ‘Desires’, the artist is excited to share its music video, directed by JYO MIYAJI. Shot in a single day across numerous Melbourne locations including the iconic Blueball Room, the Palais Theatre and St. Kilda Beach, the aim for the ‘Desires’ was to capture a cinematic and nostalgic energy.
Having worked together previously on West’s ‘She’s No Angel’ music video, the director and musician were able to understand the central vision and bring it to life in a natural way.
“For this clip, I wanted to capture something nostalgic and cinematic, inspired by old Hollywood allure and a sense of freedom and self-expression. My favourite moments were filmed in complete chaos, me singing into the wind with coloured lights flashing across my face while sitting on the back of a ute. Jyo was filming in front of me, her boyfriend Jamie driving, Isabella our assistant, holding the lights, and my boyfriend Ned running alongside the ute with a leaf blower to keep my hair moving dramatically in the wind. It was quite the sight for people driving by us. Despite the freezing rain and the madness of the shoot, it was so much fun, and I love how the video clip turned out. I hope it feels nostalgic, cinematic and dreamlike.”
