hachajah’s Forthcoming New Single ‘Shooting Traffic Lights’ Brings War Time Love to Life
For those who haven’t heard of hachajah yet, keep on reading—because this MA-based a cappella artist is creating music unlike anything you’ve heard before. Mixing mainstream pop with the rich rhythms of Sri Lanka, he’s crafting a sound that’s as fresh as it is timeless. His work captures both the pulse of contemporary life and the echoes of a complex past. With his debut EP No Place Like, released in August 2024, he took listeners on an emotional journey through the streets of Colombo. The track Colombo Sky even earned a nomination for Best Global Music Video at the A Cappella Video Awards—a rare feat for a newcomer to the indie music world.
But if you thought No Place Like was the peak, you’d be wrong. On February 28, 2025, hachajah returns with Shooting Traffic Lights, a five-minute sonic ride through the tension, thrill, and heartache of love in wartime Sri Lanka. And trust us—we’ve had an exclusive sneak peek. The track doesn’t just tell a story; it thrusts you into the passenger seat for a high-stakes escape through a city haunted by military checkpoints and shadowed by fear.
The song opens with a chant—“Down the freeway, the freeway, down the freeway we go”—like the calm before a coming storm. Then, the beat kicks in, made entirely of layered vocal textures. It’s raw, polished, and addictive. The production is immaculate, with hachajah’s voice serving as the engine that powers the entire track.
The story behind Shooting Traffic Lights is as gripping as the music itself. Set during Sri Lanka’s decades-long ethnic conflict, the song follows a couple who steal a moment of intimacy in a parked car—only to have their peace shattered when an army jeep pulls up. The couple flees, careening through Colombo’s darkened streets, racing past military outposts and blowing through intersections, all while clinging to the fragile hope that love might outrun violence.
In the bridge, hachajah paints this chaos with evocative simplicity: “Shooting traffic lights / Into the night, we fly.” It’s a line that lingers, forcing listeners to consider the absurdity of everyday acts—like running a red light—that can become life-saving decisions in war zones.
When asked about the emotional weight behind the song, hachajah reflected on the universality of loss: “I hope listeners will step into the shoes of lovers and families who faced heartbreak during the war in Sri Lanka. While this particular story follows a couple who escape, the music also serves as a tribute to those who didn’t. Many lost sons, daughters, partners, siblings—entire futures were stolen and families left forever incomplete. This song is about feeling the weight of those losses and recognizing the enduring echoes of war.”
This isn’t just a song – it’s a memorial disguised as a bop. The juxtaposition of foot-tapping rhythms with heavy subject matter makes the track feel like a hidden message encoded within a catchy melody. One minute, you’re singing along to the chorus—“Down the freeway we go / Stamp that gas on the pedal floor”—and the next, you’re Googling Sri Lanka’s conflict, realizing that this story isn’t fiction for thousands of families.
For fans of a cappella music, Shooting Traffic Lights showcases just how versatile the genre can be. Gone are the barbershop quartet vibes many associate with the style; instead, hachajah uses his voice like a sound design toolkit, crafting bass lines, percussion hits, and melodic leads that would make any seasoned producer do a double-take. If you’ve ever wondered whether a cappella could match the emotional intensity of a full band—this track provides a resounding yes.
Fans of world music, vocal-driven tracks, and heartfelt storytelling, mark your calendars for Shooting Traffic Lights. With this release, hachajah proves he’s more than just an a cappella artist—he’s a vocal architect, a cultural bridge-builder, and a storyteller with much more to say.
On February 28, 2025, we’re all taking a ride down that freeway. And when the music stops, the story will still haunt your rearview mirror.
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