Aaria’s take on Edelweiss is disarming. Not because it’s flashy or dramatic, but because it isn’t. If you grew up watching The Sound of Music, you already know how easy it is to oversell that song. Aaria doesn’t. She sings it straight, with patience, and with an understanding that silence and restraint matter just as much as melody. That alone sets the tone for Feel the Light, her debut album with Band Wildlife. This record isn’t interested in spectacle, but in meaning.
Let’s get the obvious part out of the way: Aaria is 11 years old. That fact is unavoidable, but it’s also not the point. What matters is that Feel the Light sounds like a complete album, not a collection of novelties or experiments. Nearly half the tracks are originals, written and composed by Aaria herself, and they hold together thematically and emotionally. There’s intention here. There’s a follow-through. And there’s a clear sense of who she is as a musician.
Aaria’s piano playing is the backbone of the record. She plays with feel. The songs don’t rush, and they don’t beg for attention. Her vocals are calm, steady, and expressive without being pushed into places they don’t belong. That kind of control is rare, regardless of age. She understands when to hold back, and that instinct carries the album.
Ponies in Denver, the first single, is a good example of how Aaria approaches songwriting. It sounds simple at first, almost playful, but it’s really about holding onto identity as the world starts making demands on you. The song has already found an audience, pulling in hundreds of thousands of views and solid press coverage, and it’s easy to hear why. It’s specific, memorable, and honest.
The title track, Feel the Light, pulls together many of the album’s central ideas. Positivity, responsibility, connection to nature, and resilience all sit at the core of the song. In terms of sound, it blends pop, rock, choral textures, and subtle world music influences without turning into a collage. Everything stays focused. The message is clear, but it never turns into a lecture. Click here.
One of the more ambitious moments on the album is Hallelujah. Covering that song is risky under any circumstances. Aaria avoids the usual traps by expanding its scope instead of copying past interpretations. The multilingual approach and spiritual references feel thoughtful, reinforcing the album’s broader themes of unity and shared responsibility.
The rest of the album’s covers are chosen with care. Over the Rainbow is gentle and unforced. Can’t Help Falling in Love is delivered without excess sentimentality. And Edelweiss ends up being one of the album’s quiet highlights, precisely because it trusts the song to speak for itself.
Sunshine Up High reflects Aaria’s ongoing focus on the natural world, while Gems & Jewels centers on family and values without dressing them up. These songs don’t hide behind irony or cleverness. They say what they mean.
Recorded across Montreal, New Jersey, and Los Angeles, Feel the Light has a subtle openness to it. You can hear the influence of different places without the album losing cohesion. Band Wildlife supports Aaria effectively, adding texture and energy while keeping the songs grounded. The production stays clean and practical, letting performances take priority.
Feel the Light is out now, and it’s a rare debut that doesn’t rely on hype to make its case. It earns attention through consistency, sincerity, and craft. Indeed, Aaria & Band Wildlife aren’t just a story about age—they’re building something real, and they’re doing it on their own terms.
