Toronto Indie Outfit Oba Consider What Could Have Been on Ethereal & Introspective Piece “Could Have”

Toronto indie band Oba first crossed paths in high school, but it wasn’t until after graduation that they began jamming together seriously. During their college years, they all lived together, playing shows, writing songs, and, honestly, just hanging out. There was probably more hanging out than anything else, but that’s what built the foundation of the band’s bond.

It was a bond forged through playing to empty rooms at odd hours, writing songs that now make us cringe, and meeting some of the most interesting, unstable, and artistic people along the way. Today, under the name Oba, they are a family who creates music that they genuinely enjoy listening to and hope that people who need a couple songs to daydream to, can find comfort in our songs. The band name is a nod to their beloved Obaajan (grandma in Japanese), who always made sushi and other snacks for long road trips to gigs across Canada.

Their latest single, “Could Have,” is a layered and dreamy piece of swirling indie rock. A collaborative and organic track, the band formed together naturally to tackle the feeling of “what could have been?” with poignant songwriting. It captures the feeling of reflecting on the past, knowing things could have unfolded differently, and feeling haunted by the lingering ghost of what might have been.