Wasia Project Welcomes Us into The World of ‘Nocturne’
A new era
There is a certain bittersweet ache that comes with growing up. While there is a sense of excitement for what’s ahead, there’s also an undercurrent of sadness for the life you’re leaving behind, the places that have shaped your being, and the people who have touched your soul in indiscriminate ways.
On ‘Bleeding Gold’, Wasia Project, the alt-pop duo of British-Chinese siblings Olivia Hardy (21) and Will Gao (23), captures that quiet ache with striking tenderness. Framed as a wistful ode to growing up, the song lingers in the space between who we were and who we are becoming, reflecting on the fleeting nature of youth and the inevitability of change. Through its introspective lyricism and gentle vulnerability, ‘Bleeding Gold’ speaks to anyone who has looked back on the past with equal parts gratitude and longing.
Framed by Olivia’s diaphanous vocals soaring over anthemic hooks and Will’s shimmering guitar notes, ‘Bleeding Gold’ oscillates between plaintive and oceanic, its buoyant yet upbeat melody taking audiences on a melancholic journey through growing up and moving on. The result is an atmospheric, indie-pop sound with noir-tinged elements and Wasia Project’s classical foundations, which feel expansively cinematic and deeply intimate.
With ‘Bleeding Gold’, the sibling pair welcome us to the world of Nocturne, their forthcoming debut album arriving on 18 September. The body of work will chart a new hinterland for the duo, unfolding as a 12-track kinetic journey steeped in the lore of the night, moving between twilight introspection and the euphoric embrace of the dancefloor. Fans of Wasia Project can look forward to a darker and grittier sonic palette, stepping away from the lightness of their earlier works such as ‘ur so pretty’ and ‘Petals on the Moon’ in favour of something more textured and emotionally charged.
Ahead, we speak to Olivia and Will of Wasia Project on the process behind their latest single ‘Bleeding Gold’, the beauty of growing up, and embracing their dark side for the Nocturne EP.
‘Bleeding Gold’ conjures up a lot of different emotions. Ultimately, what was it you were looking to convey?
Olivia Hardy (OH): It’s funny because the product was actually the sentiment going into this. But it was a collage of different things. The verse was from a song Will wrote three years ago, and the pre-chorus came from another song. But we both wanted a song that felt like a glowing from the inside out, that felt like a form of acceptance.
We’re at a point in our lives where we’re at the end of our adolescence and realising home doesn’t mean the same thing anymore. We’re moving out, making new friends…that change is really weird because you’ve only had one thing your whole life. It feels like you’re in different places and not totally feeling at home with either, but being okay with that.
Will Gao (WG): ‘Bleeding Gold’ is like a nostalgic, almost painful song. It builds up to a kind of acceptance of who you are and the kind of moments you look back on. But I believe that those moments that we’re nostalgic for are completely within us and always will be. And that’s a great thing about growing up and growing older.
You have all these things and memories to draw upon, inspiring sadness, happiness, everything. All our experiences and early memories inform the way we are now, and that acceptance is really important, I feel.
‘Bleeding Gold’ is the second entry to the album after ‘2515’. Why did you choose these two tracks as a preview to Nocturne?
WG: The sounds on this album even surprised us. We wanted to do something really different and challenge ourselves, but even at the end of that process, we were like “damn, this feels very new and exciting” [laughs]. We think ‘2515’ can serve as a cool opener to start that journey and show people where we are now with our music journey.
Meanwhile, ‘Bleeding Gold’ has really powerful sentiments, and it just felt really right. My friends are graduating and moving to college. It’s a time of year when people are making a shift and getting ready for the next era of their lives, so we thought it was really fitting to release it at this time.
OH: We wanted to open with a bang because we’ve been away for a moment, and ‘2515’ was so different and a good introduction to the world of Nocturne. Introducing those darker sonics and palette to people will be fun, but ‘Bleeding Gold’ is a good mix that shows we are still experimenting, and it feels fresh.
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Isotope was a transitional EP for Wasia Project, but how did Nocturne reveal to you in different ways?
OH: I could talk about this for hours. [laughs] The process for Nocturne was so different and completely turned on its head. I think we’re both learning so much about what makes us work together. It’s the first time we’ve both done a full-length album, and there was like an ebb and flow. Sometimes, we’re really not flowing, and we found it really difficult because there was a lot of pressure that we put on ourselves to make the album good.
I like writing in the studio because of that kind of on-the-spot focus. We both usually write at the piano before and then bring it in and think about sounds. But for me, having the sounds at the beginning was helpful. We had so many songs lined up, so there was also a lot of curation that had to be done. We could make any album we want, but instead of putting a bunch of songs together without thinking about it, we wanted there to be an alignment and coherence with all the songs.
We also played at a bunch of festivals in the summer. When we came back, that really helped keep the flow going. Especially after performing live, it reminded me of how joyful the experience is and how lucky we are. Remembering that helped us flow.
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How do you guys work together and divide roles within Wasia Project?
WG: Although we’re siblings, we are very different people. I don’t know if Wasia Project would work if we were similar. Weirdly enough, being different is a great thing. For me, I spring to life more in the genesis of things in the sense of painting the canvas at the beginning of a project. I love flowing with ideas and allowing that space for myself.
Olivia is amazing with attention to detail. She’s very specific and intuitive. It’s interesting how, over the course of a project, I’m more stimulated in the beginning, whereas in the closing moments, when we’re trying to be concise and specific, Olivia is very good at finessing and getting the details of the painting.
OH: Yeah, I would say editing is a strong suit of mine. I’m like a knife and just go in like a perfectionist. But I have to say, with this job and being an artist, it’s so nice to have another person making these decisions with you. In terms of roles, we both do different things. Like Will said, the essence of it is true not just in music but in life, too. You’ll find me being very specific even on a social media post and overthinking it, whereas Will just churns it out. So it does affect everything we do, but it also makes us work really well together.
You have a lot of Southeast Asian fans. Any plans for a tour here soon?
OH: I’m really excited and also hoping as much as you all to do one whenever it is. Let’s hope we can do it with this album! To all our Malaysian fans, we’re so excited to be releasing Nocturne. We’re doing everything we can to hopefully one day come out and play a show in Malaysia (or multiple!).
Finally, what message would you like to convey with Nocturne?
WG: I’m just really excited to share this body of work with everyone. We’re super proud of it, so I can’t wait for people to listen and experience this new sound of ours.
OH: The first thing that came to mind is the final track. I just can’t wait for people to hear that song. But also, I’m excited for people to listen to Nocturne all the way through. We think that, in and of itself, it will be a roller coaster journey based on how each of the songs connects. We thought a lot about the order, and so I think listening to it in that way is going to be quite a revelation. I also hope you can listen to Nocturne during the passage of the night to immerse yourself fully in it.
Nocturne arrives 18 September 2026. Follow Wasia Project on Instagram for the latest updates.
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