Serene Singer Arima Ederra Releases Her Meditative EP Temporary Fixes
A thoughtful offering that celebrates all the singular moments in life.
Arima Ederra's aware that time is fleeting on her soothing Temporary Fixes EP. It's a tranquil offering laced with pleasant vocals and jazzy melodies inspired by love, attraction, and loss. In 2012, a bright eyed Ederra released her debut EP, Earth to Arima. Since then, the Las Vegas-raised and Los Angeles-based singer learned that experiences aren't everlasting and created a project that pays homage to the present. Here, Ederra lulls with gratitude for the little things and the beauty within herself and all moving parts of the universe.
"The title basically applies to everything in life," Ederra told The FADER over email. "I kind of had an epiphany after my dad's passing and realized that all of this is temporary. Everything in this physical world doesn't last any longer than our bodies do so I started to really think about the concept of time and what forever and temporary meant to me."
"I came to the conclusion that spirit/love was the only thing that was forever and that nothing of monetary value or physical touch would last. So I asked myself, What makes my spirit dance? and ran with that."
During that exchange, Ederra shared her journey to embracing the moment, what guided her creative process, and how to find the messages in the sky. In addition to the Temporary Fixes EP below, she's also released a zine to accompany the project.
What music did you grow up listening to? How did it impact you and your music?
I listened to a copious amount of different music for as long as I can remember. I grew up on Ethiopian music, jazz, hip hop and R&B. I got more into alternative music when I was in middle school and going through different phases of self exploration. My passion for singing was heavily influenced by Amel Larrieux. I used to print her lyrics out and sing in front of a mirror in my room. Music has literally been my life. Some of my earliest memories are me coming down the stairs at 7 a.m. on a Saturday morning to watch cartoons and my dad would be blasting Ethiopian music and singing along too.
You released your first mixtape Earth to Arima a few years ago. How would you describe that time in your life?
Extremely pivotal and ominous when I look back in retrospect. I was in-between finding myself and grieving, music helped me express and release in ways I had never done before. It was very innocent and I was still scratching the surface of myself really.
What have you been doing since then? How would you describe your journey to this project?
A whole lot of living. I have died and been born again many times since and with every death I found a new layer of myself I never knew was there, it's pretty cool. Moving to L.A. was also life changing, coming from growing up in a desert. Although Las Vegas had a beautiful artist community, it's small and I felt very out of place. Everyone here is a transplant dreamer with a flaring spark in their eyes and freedom in the air. My journeys have been daring and hopeful, I let go of a lot of my fears and became bold in my expressions. I let go of any preconceived notions of myself I had before and started over with a clear mind and slate, using my experiences and new environments to help me in healing and creating. I got real with myself and my emotions by having fun and exploring life.
How personal are the songs on this project? What types of experiences or situations compelled you to write?
As personal as writing your first love letter. I wrote about everyone of my fixes. I found myself in love or lust, caught in the web of my crafts, dove into films and new music, learning about my culture in the east and my family history. Real life grieving, being alone in a big ass city and being ok with it. Falling in love everyday and finding my highs.
Tell me about one of your temporary fixes that had a long term effect on you.
I feel for an angel in Venice beach. He came with love right when I needed it and gave me lessons I still use to this day. Sweet Mary and loving Lucy lu too.
On the project, you have songs that touch on coping with difficult situations and putting temporary fixes on emotions as your journeying through things. Would you say that Temporary Fixes is more vulnerable than your last project? If so, what's allowed you to open up?
Definitely more vulnerable, bidding farewell to any fears or false expectations and freeing myself.
You revolve your work around nature, the planets, and the stars. How does that type of connection to the universe guide you? What informs that connection?
I just learned to be more silent. The messages are in the sky, if you're quiet enough, they're there. All that is beyond us is inside of us. I started listening and became a vessel.