ARIO, up next
Hunter Pratt, Contributor
Every so often, you come across an artist who’s music sends a wave of inspiration towards you. Even better, when the artist you found resides in the same city as you, it’s simply a no-brainer to want to dig deeper into who they are, and how their music came to be.
Meet Armin, better known as ARIO, a Calgary artist who flies under the radar. ARIO has been in the game for over 10 years, releasing EP’s, winning freestyle cyphers, and even landing his first tour in western Canada. It’s clear as daylight that ARIO is no stranger to the industry, but who is the man behind the music? The only solution to solve my curiosity was to go directly to the source, with an interview of Armin himself.
What does ARIO mean? Well, ARIO stands for All Religions In One. The name confronts the paradox of how religions that are meant for good, can actually divide us when we let our egos get in the way.
Armin cuts no corners when telling me about the spiritual awakening that led to the revelation behind his stage name.
“I realized that all of these different religions are about the same thing, which is actually oneness. I really felt like I connected with that message and I wanted to share that message,” he said.
Not only does ARIO’s stage name represent a variety of perspectives, his catalog of music is also an assortment. Call it the ARIO vibe—which ranges from rap to house music and even a little bit of indie. Unique is an understatement when it comes to describing the art.
“I can’t describe it,” said Armin. “It sets me apart and I don’t think anyone can really do what I do. It’s a cool feeling to be like: ‘this song could only have been done by me.’”
When asked to describe his music, ARIO rejected the box that genres can create, preferring to move wherever the inspiration strikes.
“In terms of hitting good verses [the music] has that,” said Armin. “I also do stuff like house music where I’m singing, and then I did “Anastasia” which is alternative.”
From having a name that encapsulates a world of spiritual controversy, to making music that spans a variety of genres, ARIO simply does not give “2F’s” (Title of his 2022 single) when it comes to making music for others; rather, you can see that he enjoys creating for himself and appreciates those who vibe with it along the way.
“I do all these different things and they work. They all have the same vibe, which is that ARIO vibe,” he told me.
Having been around the Calgary music scene for over 10 years, Armin is no stranger to performing in and around the YYC area. In 2018, ARIO went on his first tour that covered Western Canada. The locations ranged from Winnipeg, Regina and Kelowna, but Armin made sure to let me know that Calgary had the best audience.
“Calgary is so slept on, but it’s coming up,” the artist said.
Indeed, when it comes to performing for an audience, Armin summarizes it as the following: “The feeling of moving a crowd is so energizing. People are there to be entertained, it’s all about engaging them.”
What will the future bring for ARIO’s music? Armin explains he has a plethora of unreleased music in the vault, but he wants to make the people wait. Surely, the added pressure from Armin’s peers to release new music will create the diamond they’ve been waiting for.
With a collaboration album with another Calgary artist, Omar A, and his own music sitting in the archives, Armin’s fans and peers alike encourage him to drop more music. However, I quickly learned from Armin that what’s more important than releasing music to please is making sure you have enjoyment with creating art.
“Just don’t try to be something, cause when you try to be something, you can feel the force in that art and it’s not free, it’s forced,” said Armin.
People’s opinions will always be there, but as soon as you let them get to you, that’s where your authenticity fades away.
“The best art comes out of a flow state. Your feelings are so much more woke than your thoughts. So, tap into your feelings, tap into your emotions and make music from there.”
When it comes to finding music with meaning, I recommend readers focus on talent sitting right under their noses, because the farther away you search the less you may find—let’s appreciate our own homegrown talent, starting with ARIO.
