Singing is not the only thing she’s good at— she also knows how to shake the virtual world with just one move. Singer Ariel Wayz surely knows how to break the Internet, and this time, it came with boldness, baring her chest, albeit with a bit of cover-up around the nipples, to announce her forthcoming EP, which is aptly named, Love and Lust. It is not the first time she has done this. Previously, her photos from the shooting of her song, Away with Juno Kizigenza, sent the Internet talking, with many having an opinion about her partly revealed breasts. Most of the comments at the time were not just body shaming the La Vida Loca singer, they also dehumanised her. But as the saying goes, when life throws you lemons, make lemonade. Ariel Wayz did not just pick the lemons to make lemonade, she hit back, this time, almost baring it all. One would think the first time would be the last time, given the negative comments she received, but not for someone in the process of embracing her body. Everything thrown at her became part of the process and strengthened her even more, she says. She went out and worked on a whole EP with six songs, set to be released on December 9. It is fair to say that the singer has already registered success on the EP given the attention it has received. The EP cover, which features the singer with a bare chest, save for the covers on the nipples, is still the talk of the town. Before the EP cover, Ariel Wayz had released a photo of herself, wearing a beautiful magenta jacket, teasingly holding a rose. The photo also reveals part of her stomach and her navel. A very personal journey Both photos describe a personal journey for Ariel Wayz, who is on a mission to embrace her body, something she says was about time, having grown up struggling to accept her body. “Embracing my body is a sign of acceptance and loving who I am with no fear of what people think,” the singer tells The New Times, adding that she cannot change who she is. “I overcame the fear of loving my body because it’s been a long time of me hating my own body. With this EP I decided to not be afraid anymore,” the singer says. Ariel Wayz also reveals that a lot of people have been telling her to go to the gym because she was gaining weight yet as an artiste she is ‘supposed to appear a certain way’. All this was playing out in her mind and she got tired of hiding who she was, and that is when the journey of self-embracing started. Wayz says she knows many women are facing a similar problem, the majority ending up not feeling comfortable in their own bodies. “It should be our choice to make any change on our bodies,” says the singer, as opposed to society determining how people should look. Many of the comments on the two photos were literally body shaming the singer but that has not put her down. “Many of the comments are body shaming me but as I said I am never going to change for them. This is just the beginning,” warns the Depanage singer. Wayz, who parted ways with Symphony Band last year to embark on a solo career describes herself as a strong, fearless yet humble woman with a goal to take her music to another level. Not even body-shamers can stop her. Wayz, 21, who started singing at the early age four and later joined Nyundo School of Music in 2016, is determined to push on without paying attention to negativity. “I can say that right now my music is growing day by day and I’m proud of what I’ve achieved so far,” says Wayz, adding that her solo career is on track. “My solo journey is going great. I have a team of amazing people who love and understand my goals and without them I wouldn’t have made it this far,” she adds. About the EP The talented Wayz says her EP, Love and Lust seeks to explore all sides of love, with the view that lust comes out of love. Her fans will be able to listen to the songs which include, Deeper, 10 days, Your Love, Uwanjye, Chamber and, Everyday.
