Zaraya — “Hvareya”: A Debut Born of the Sun
Tajik DJ and producer Zarina, known by her stage name Zaraya, makes her debut on Basanta Music with a track whose cover features a painting by Mizrob Kholov, an Honored Artist of Tajikistan.
“Hvareya is music born of the sun, filled with its light, warmth, and energy that awakens in us the desire to live, love, and dance,” says Zaraya of her debut release. The track, “Hvareya,” was released on October 10 via Basanta Music.
Its title draws on the ancient Avestan word “hvar,” associated with the sun and light. The idea runs throughout the release, from its hypnotic, warm sound to its artwork. For the cover, Zaraya chose an existing painting by Mizrob Kholov, an Honored Artist of Tajikistan. Only later did she discover that the painting, the music, and her promotional video, all created independently, seemed to tell the same story.
We spoke with Zarina about the journey to her first release, the symbolism of the sun, and why sometimes the right moment arrives when we finally stop waiting for it.
Why melodic techno, and why did you decide to make your debut now?
I chose melodic techno for a very complicated and almost mystical reason: I simply love the sound. I'd been working toward my first release for a long time, but apparently the universe had its own schedule and wasn't planning to share it with me.
Then, at just the right moment, the right people appeared. The ideas, energy, and circumstances all aligned. Everything came together so naturally that all I had to do was stop waiting for the perfect moment and realize that it had already arrived.
How was “Hvareya” born?
It began with the idea of the sun — the kind that can warm you, blind you, and remind you that you're still alive, all at once. I wanted to tell that story through music, and an international production team helped give my idea a form, transforming it from a feeling into an actual track.
I love bringing creative people together. You never know what might happen when different personalities, cultures, and a little creative madness meet in one place. I think that's my favorite part of “Hvareya” — the moment when everything suddenly stops being a collection of separate elements and becomes one story.
How did Mizrob Kholov's painting become the cover artwork?
Mizrob has a special connection with our family. We've loved his work for years because of the incredible sense of warmth and comfort it creates. “Hvareya” had already been written when we chose the painting. Only afterward did Mizrob tell me the story behind it: it depicts a dreamy young woman, almost like Alice in Wonderland, with rays of sunlight passing through the scene.
What makes it even more surprising is that I had already filmed the promotional video by then, in which I became a kind of Alice Through the Looking-Glass myself, without knowing anything about the painting's story.
It felt a little mystical. The music, the painting, and the video had all been created independently, yet somehow they ended up telling the same story.
What does creativity mean to you, and what is it like being a female DJ and producer?
For me, creativity is a way of opening the door to my inner world, even though I'm not always entirely sure what's going on in there myself.
Sometimes ideas appear so unexpectedly that they manage to surprise me before they surprise anyone else. I enjoy being a female DJ and producer. It opens up new paths, connections, and adventures. And where all of this will lead next? I think that's the most exciting part.
Zaraya's debut track “Hvareya” (Basanta Music) was released on October 10 and is available on streaming platforms.
