Following last month’s announcement of Hachiku’s forthcoming debut album I’ll Probably Be Asleep, Anika Ostendorf returns with its second single ‘Bridging Visa B’. Premiered by Visions, it’s a tale of being left in bureaucratic limbo. On the surface, the track exudes breezy delight with Hachiku’s trademark production of elastic guitars, Casio drum beats and gentle vocals but beneath lies a concern that the validity of your romantic relationship—not to mention your fate—is in the hands of the authorities.
Ostendorf says, “A Bridging Visa B is the visa that you need to apply for every time you want to leave Australia while waiting for your permanent visa application to be processed. For me it represents the whole frustration of going through the quite intrusive visa application process and all the obnoxious government officials that think they have the right to ask you about your private business.
And I am super privileged as a white person from a Western country where I actually unfairly receive a very special immigrant treatment. I can’t imagine how dehumanising this whole process must feel like being a refugee or person of colour. I’m lucky I ticked all the right boxes for them, it’s outraging to think what power they have over you when you are in a desperate position.”
