A Chat with Eon Awa (02.07.26)
Eon Awa is a pop artist, composer, and creative director. Rising from Switzerland’s contemporary music landscape, he’s continuously establishing himself as an artist to watch. We caught up with Eon Awa after the release of his new EP, Drama.
OSR: The title Drama immediately captures attention. What does the word ‘drama’ mean to you personally, and why did it feel like the right title for this collection of songs?
Eon Awa: I like to express myself by doing a lot. I like a big production, a whole orchestra, to riff and run and sing crazy long notes. People always liked to tell me that what I do is too much. And to an extent, I listened. Not with this EP. It’s just an explosion of expression, and that may make it dramatic, but instead of toning it down, I decided to just completely embrace it. And I absolutely love it!
OSR: The EP follows a clear emotional journey from ‘Dear Listener’ through to ‘You and I’. Did you approach the project as a narrative from the beginning, or did the story reveal itself during the writing process?
Eon Awa: It definitely revealed itself during the process. I didn’t write the songs with the intention of putting them on an EP together. I just always write. My catalogue of unreleased songs got way too big, so my writing partner Ben and I started to bundle the songs. The more folkish ones landed on my last EP, Thoughts, and the orchestral, dramatic ones on DRAMA. Of course, we then pushed the production style of the songs to match one another.
OSR: Your music often explores themes of identity and self-definition. Were there any personal experiences or turning points that particularly influenced the songwriting on Drama?
Eon Awa: Yes. Most of my songs are influenced by something that captures my mind so much that I need to write about it. And I can’t stop when I start, I push everything aside until I have a listenable first demo. A lot of times, it’s not just my stories I tell. But that doesn’t mean that the topic isn’t close to my heart then.
OSR: You have an impressive vocal range and use it as an emotional tool throughout the EP. How conscious are you of storytelling through vocal performance, beyond the lyrics themselves?
Eon Awa: Thank you. I love to play with my instrument. And to be honest, sometimes I lose myself within it and forget what story I am telling. Over the years, I really learned to stay grounded in what I am singing about, and when it comes to songs as personal as the ones on DRAMA, it’s easier than ever to stay within the story. I like to do a lot with my voice, and I think that’s okay. That’s me. But I learned that sometimes “a lot” doesn’t always have to be a high belt or a run. Sometimes “a lot” is a highly concentrated moment that may even sound simple or a pause.
OSR: You’ve worked closely with your childhood friend and pianist Ben for many years. How has your creative partnership evolved, and what does Ben bring to the music that no one else could?
Eon Awa: Ben and I have been making music together since we were 11/12 years old. We’ve always had very different approaches to music, and we sometimes butted heads. But over time, I really learned so much from him, and I think I can speak for him to say the same. We know each other so well, when to leave space, when to interrupt. It’s our connections, but mostly our differences that make our collaboration so fruitful.
OSR: Songs like ‘BURN IT FROM WITHIN’ and ‘LEAVE MY FRIENDS ALONE’ balance vulnerability with strength. How important is it for you to explore emotional contradictions in your work?
Eon Awa: I don’t think that vulnerability and strength are a contradiction. Vulnerability IS strength. It takes courage to put your heart on a plate for people to listen to, look at and judge.
OSR: As both a musician and creative director, how do the visual and musical aspects of your artistry influence one another when developing a project like Drama?
Eon Awa: I’m definitely a visual person. When I paint pictures with my words, I like to enhance them with sound design in my music productions. And sometimes when I write, I can already see what the music video or the stage show should look like. One time, we actually changed the production to match the movements of a dancer in one of our music videos.
OSR: Drama feels like an important chapter in your artistic journey. Looking ahead, what do you hope listeners take away from this EP, and where do you see Eon Awa’s creative evolution heading next?
Eon Awa: DRAMA really feels like a milestone in my career as an artist. For the first time, I really feel seen, and I’ve had my project critically acclaimed by the official Swiss national radio SRF 3, which is absolutely amazing. But trust me when I say that I’m only getting started.
Many thanks to Eon Awa for speaking with us. Find out more about Eon Awa on his Instagram and Spotify.
