What would inspire a musician to name a song after a fictional character from an animated series?
For fast-rising artiste DEKSTA, the answer lies in Azula, the fierce and complex character from Avatar: The Last Airbender, who inspired his latest release, Azula.
Released recently, the song features BIG Haszel, who also engineered the project.
DEKSTA said his fascination with Azula’s personality and traits shaped the song’s concept. He described her as a powerful but manipulative character whose desire for power often outweighs her personal relationships.
“Her character intrigued me because she was supposed to be a child, but she was evil, vile and manipulative. She was also strong and formidable,” he explained.
According to the artiste, he met BIG Haszel and decided to collaborate with him on a project that would showcase the engineer’s strengths.
He said he developed the melodies after receiving the beat, with the name Azula repeatedly coming to mind as he worked on the song.
“The song isn’t necessarily about anyone or inspired by anyone, just the name Azula. So, I dwelled on that and made the song revolve around the version of Azula I created in my head,” he said.
DEKSTA explained that although the original Azula is a firebender who can also control lightning, he adapted the character to suit his musical concept.
Rather than recreate the fictional princess, he developed his own version of Azula as a fiery, disloyal, independent and manipulative character.
He added that some of the lyrics contain references to the animated series that fans may recognise.
DEKSTA said the recording process began with him recording his written material on his phone and sending it to BIG Haszel. Impressed with the song, the engineer invited him to the studio to record it professionally.
Their collaboration was made easier by their shared interest in the animated series, as BIG Haszel is also a fan.
“I usually dwell on my experiences, interests and things that shaped the person I am today when making music. It makes it more authentic and more me,” he said.
