Ethereal Encounter of Motifs and Realisations, ‘Cursed’ by Aurealis, is a Bittersweet Truth All of Us Hide Away From.

Aurealis is back in the music game with a brand-new single called ‘Cursed,’ and honestly, the sound makes you feel like Aurealis never left. A visionary project that has been a pioneer in shaping modern electronic-pop music and continues to do so through its originality and striking vocal elements, Aurealis' artistry largely comprises showing mirrors to society’s lens of perception and negating the impact of control. This release, however, is closer to my heart simply because it brings back an element of hope amidst uncertainty, which is a quality almost all of us struggle with. Let’s hear it and dissect all the good, bad, and ugly of this new release together.

“Endless rain, darkness, and everything going wrong? This melody feels like a shoulder to cry on.”

‘Cursed,’ emerging as a beam of freshness in the world, combining the best of cinematic and electronic pop. This tune is powerful because it’s a reminder to stop listening to the limiting belief systems of the voice in your head, devoid of true purpose. It becomes a sound of comfort that often stems from shattered morale, hopelessness, the inner shadow, and the inner voice that only speaks the language of disappointment and failure. Showing you a mirror to introspect, Aurealis encourages you to notice the parts of yourself that favour worldly chaos, visible only through your eyes and what you see. Distilled with surrealness, meaning, and psychological imagery that will be imprinted on your heart the moment you hear it, this is quite an exciting number and a great place to start if you’re just discovering the project.

---

We also had the chance to catch up with Aurealis to talk about the emotions behind 'Cursed,' the evolution of their music, and what lies ahead. Here's how the conversation went.

1. How do you think your music has evolved?

I think I’ve become more willing to take risks—both musically and emotionally. I’m more comfortable now sharing things in my songs that come from a very personal place.

There are so many beautiful, painful, strange, and fragile things about being human, and about everyday life in general. I think my music has evolved into a place where I want to tell those kinds of stories more honestly. I still want the songs to move, and I still love music that makes you want to dance, but I also want there to be something deeper underneath that people can connect to through their own lives.

2. Can you tell us what aspect of your personal life this single is inspired by?

“Cursed” was written during a challenging time. Like many people, I’ve had moments where my own thoughts became very loud—the kind of thoughts that question everything, doubt everything, and make it hard to see a way forward.

This song came from needing to get some of that out of my head. I wanted to take those rough, difficult emotions and turn them into something that might feel meaningful or helpful to someone else who has experienced something similar. For me, songwriting is often a way of transforming something painful into something beautiful.

3. How has your upbringing shaped your music?

My house was always full of music and singing. I grew up playing piano and guitar, taking vocal lessons, and I started writing songs when I was around 12 years old. So music has really been part of my life for as long as I can remember.

I think that shaped the way I process the world. Songwriting became the place where I could put thoughts and emotions that were too difficult or complicated to just say out loud. It has always been a way for me to turn something internal into something I can understand—and hopefully something that can become positive, even when it starts from sadness or struggle.

4. What piece of advice would you want to give your 16-year-old self?

Believe in yourself more. Believe in what you are capable of, and keep going.

There will always be difficult things. Life can be confusing and painful, and there will be moments that feel much heavier than you expected. But there are also so many awe-inspiring, beautiful, magical things in the world. Don’t let the hard parts convince you that the beautiful parts aren’t real. They are.

5. What does "art" mean to you, considering it means different things to different people?

To me, art is having a vision or feeling inside you and finding a way to bring it into the world.

It has to mean something to you first. I think that’s where the honesty comes from. But then, once it exists, the hope is that it can mean something to someone else too. Sometimes someone connects with your art in a way you never expected, and that is one of the most beautiful parts of creating anything.

6. How have your perception and worldview changed since you started creating music?

I started creating music when I was very young, so in some ways my worldview has changed dramatically just because I’ve grown and lived more life. But music has always been there through those changes.

One thing that has not changed is that I still believe in wonder, beauty, and goodness—in the world and in people. I know life can be dark and complicated, and I don’t want to ignore that. But I also still believe there is light, magic, and kindness here. A lot of my music lives in that contrast.

7. To what depths are you planning to evolve in terms of songwriting?

That’s a tough question, because I think songwriting evolves naturally as you keep living. I want to keep diving into human emotions and finding new ways to express them.

I do have a certain lane that feels true to me, so I don’t see myself making music that I personally don’t connect with. But I also have a wide range of musical tastes, and I want Aurealis to have room to grow within that world. Pop, dark pop, synthpop, and dance music have a very special place in my heart, especially when they contrast difficult emotions with music that makes you want to move.

Aurealis is really about both shadow and light. So you can expect songs that dive into darker emotional places, but also songs that soar into something brighter, more magical, and hopeful.

8. To what extent do you think your emotions control or shape your sound?

Very much. I have always been an emotional person, and emotions are usually where my songs begin.

Sometimes it starts with a feeling, sometimes a specific thought, sometimes a memory, or a question I can’t quite shake.

Then the melody and lyrics grow around that. Even when the production becomes bigger or more danceable, the emotional center is still what guides the song. If I don’t feel something from it, it usually isn’t finished.

9. Are there any potential collaborations you're looking forward to?

I don’t have any collaborations in the works right now, but I would definitely be open to one when the time and the creative connection feel right.

For me, it would need to be something that makes sense emotionally and artistically—not just a collaboration for the sake of collaboration. But with the right artist or producer, I think it could be really exciting.

10. What's next after this release? What direction are you planning to take with your upcoming releases?

Well, I don’t want to spoil all the surprises!

I am working on the next release and video, and I’m very excited about where things are going. You can expect a little more of a futuristic sound from the next one, but still something very distinctly Aurealis. I want each release to open a new door into the world of Aurealis while still feeling connected to the emotional storytelling, atmosphere, and visual identity that have been building so far.

Test the melody down here:

Discover more such similar tracks on our Testing Pop playlist: