Worship at the Altar of Wasia Project
On a warm August evening, a striking contrast unfolded outside Los Angeles’ historic Pico Union Project>. The beautiful brick building, adorned with white columns and classic stained-glass windows, seemed transported from another era, sitting juxtaposed against a neighborhood that remained dark and quiet. Yet, amidst this visual tension, a different kind of energy was at play: a long line of elegantly dressed young people waited patiently, anticipating an evening of music and art.
The venue hosted the English brother-sister duo Wasia Project, who brought their sound into the spotlight. This performance was a celebration of their journey, as they celebrated their time in the U.S. while on tour for Lollapalooza 2025. The duo arrived dressed like Victorian manga characters, embodying a whimsical energy that perfectly set the stage for their artistic expression.
Inside the intimate space, characterized by exposed beams, a peaked ceiling, and warm wood accents, the atmosphere was one of rapt attention. As Olivia and William emerged, the audience offered a formal, yet deeply felt, applause. When the duo began to play, everyone leaned forward, completely immersed in the music. Their stripped-down delivery amplified the emotion, making the audience feel intimately connected to the performance.
This connection extended beyond the stage. A year later, Olivia reflected on the relationship with their audience, noting that they possessed a very wholesome fan base. She observed how deeply connected they felt to those who listened, particularly during those intimate shows, highlighting the power of genuine presence and connection.
The siblings themselves possess a maturity that belies their youthful appearance. While Olivia, 21, shared much of the conversation, William, who played Tao Xu in Heartstopper, listened intently. Their path to music began when they were still high school students, coining their name, Wasia Project, as a portmanteau referencing their white and Asian heritage.
Their creative output includes two EPs, How Can I Pretend in 2022 and Nocturne, emerged as a complex work, reflecting two different artistic approaches. William viewed the process as simply making music, while Olivia sought to make an impressive statement, treating the album as a necessary “pedestal moment.”
The creation of Nocturne was a journey of balancing internal and external pressures. William reflected on the difficulty of overthinking music creation, noting that self-doubt can threaten the emotional integrity of a project. However, he concluded that navigating those moments is essential for artistic growth, especially when facing an audience.
Olivia credited William for providing a “bird’s eye view” and the most concise vision for the project. She described their songwriting process as organic and acoustic, often starting at the piano, before transforming those intimate melodies into dance-oriented sounds. The album’s sonic landscape drew influence from artists like London Grammar and Mazzy Star, echoing the mood of Giorgio Moroder, with tracks channeling the energy of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love.”
The siblings’ identity also infused the music. The track “Moon Goddess,” based on a Chinese myth, stands out as a tribute to their heritage, conceived not as a branding exercise but as an authentic expression of their background. Their upbringing, blending their mother’s ambition and work ethic with their father’s Western outlook, shaped their artistic lens.
The creative struggle pushed them in different directions, with William seeking recalibration in Berlin’s “artistic gravity” and Olivia retreating into an academic approach to finishing the work. Ultimately, both found that travel was necessary—a release that allowed them to reconnect with the feeling of playing live and truly experiencing what they had accomplished.
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