One of Boorloo’s most prolific artists, Ayo Busari is bringing his multidisciplinary talents to the Milk Bar stage this Saturday, May 2, to perform his debut solo EP, Joy & Balloons. As with much of Ayo’s work, the show promises to be a high-energy, collaborative live experience, bringing his new music to life through “sound, movement and community”.
I spoke to him about the blend of sounds on the EP, his intention behind creating the music, and what he has planned for his headline show.
Ayo, congratulations on releasing your latest EP Joy & Balloons. As your first solo EP, where did this journey begin, and what sits at the heart of this music?
Thank you so much Holly. This journey has honestly been in the works for a while. I’ve been releasing music on and off since 2019, mostly with TAB Family, and everything I’ve put out before has been collaborative. I think this EP began from a desire to really understand what my sound is when it’s just me, when I’m producing, writing, and shaping everything from the ground up. In 2023, I decided to release my first fully solo track, SUPERSTAR. I wrote a few songs, recorded a couple, and released one. Then I dropped another single at the end of last year (two years later), leading into this EP. So, Joy & Balloons really comes from that process of self-discovery. At the heart of my music is exactly what the title says: Joy. My name, “Ayo”, is a Yoruba word that means “Joy” in English, and that’s something I carry into everything I do, music, visual art, theatre, and community work. This EP is about creating moments of joy for myself, my family, my friends, my collaborators, and anyone who listens.
This EP sits outside traditional music categories, blending genres like Afro-pop, soulful house, and EDM. What draws you to this mix of styles?
I just genuinely love music across so many genres, especially as a DJ. My playlists are all over the place: Afrobeats, house, R&B, alternative, electronic, country and indie pop. So, this EP reflects that range. Afro-pop connects me to my roots and what I grew up listening to. Soulful house is the kind of music I love when I’m with friends, something you can vibe to while talking, something you can exist inside. And EDM brings that energy of movement and release, something you can dance to and perform live. For me, it was about creating a sound that holds all of that: my culture, my social life, and my love for performance.
Ayo Busari Joy and Balloons. Photography by Jenna Elson.
Can you share a bit about your production process? Were there any tracks that came together effortlessly, and others that took more time to refine?
The process was really special. I conducted a self-directed residency and creative development at Victoria Hall in Fremantle, where the EP was recorded. I spent about five days there, writing, recording, bringing in musicians, and building the tracks out. Before that, I had been writing and sketching ideas for months. I tested a bunch of tracks live and then selected the ones that felt right. From there, I refined and developed them into the final EP. One track that came together very naturally was IFE MI!, which means “My Love.” That one flowed quite effortlessly. And what took time wasn’t necessarily writing or recording tracks; it was the arrangement, mixing, and fine-tuning. That final stage of shaping the sound and making everything sit together properly definitely required the most patience.
You’ll be performing the EP at your headline show this Saturday at the Milk Bar. What are you most looking forward to about the performance?
Honestly, I’m just excited to share the moment with people, friends, family, and community, all being in one space and experiencing joy together. I’m really looking forward to performing with my band and friends; they’re incredibly talented, and I’m also looking forward to seeing the Support Acts. We’ve got Persia, Jade Rich, and Bella Dyer, and I’m especially excited to see Bella Dyer perform live, as it would be my first time! I’ll also be performing some unreleased music, which is exciting, and will be giving people a glimpse of what’s coming next.
Ayo Busari Joy and Balloons. Photography by Jenna Elson.
Collaboration and connection are at the heart of everything you do. How do you plan to harness that energy for this show?
The show itself is already a collaboration. Even though it’s my headline set, everything around it is built with people. My band, the artists performing, the team behind the scenes, art direction, production, marketing, it’s all collective energy. That’s how I work. So the audience will really feel that. It’s not just about me on stage; it’s about all of us creating something together in that moment.
What’s next for the EP following this show? (And what’s next for you?)
This is actually a bit of an exclusive, but we’re taking the EP on tour in August! Get ready! Beyond that, there’s a lot more coming. I’m working on new collaborations, releasing more music, and developing my next EP, which I’m hoping to drop early next year. So it’s really about building momentum, more music, more connection, more joy. Outside of the EP, I’ve also got three residencies coming up for some new theatre performances I’m creating, which I’m really excited about. There are a lot of projects on the horizon across theatre, visual art, music, and writing, so it’s a very full, creative season ahead.
You can book tickets to Ayo’s show on Saturday, May 2 at the Milk Bar. Click here.