Nya has been on our radar for a few years now, and with her latest release, ‘Closer Than Close‘, and its accompanying anime style lyric video, we felt it was high time we had a chat with this incredible artist. We hope you enjoy our interview as much as we did!
We’ve been following your musical journey for many years now, and we’ve seen you go from strength to strength. Your latest single, ‘Closer Than Close’, features an anime lyric video. What was your motivation with that choice?
Firstly, thank you! I love any accompanying visual content for my songs to add another perspective or dimension to the story being told lyrically. Ayakashi created a beautiful presentation of multiple interpretations of the love story within closer than close, using an art form and style not usually paired with my work. It felt like a cool way to add a new fresh voice to my work and mix things up a bit!
You’re no stranger to travel, having been born in Florida and then basing yourself in New York, and now Los Angeles. But now you’ve got a long distance relationship that sees you split your time between LA and Uruguay – how has this had an effect on you and your relationship with your partner, and what was it like during the Covid-19 pandemic?
During about a year and a half of the height of Covid, I didn’t leave Uruguay as I wouldn’t have been able to get back in due to Covid-related border policies. Towards the end of that period, I was a little restless to get back to the states, but it was also lovely in that I got to spend a lot of quality time with my now-husband. For the past year and a half or so, I have split my time about half and half. It can definitely be tough to be separated for 4 to 5 months of the year as I really miss my husband and our dogs while I’m away. Still, as long as we have good communication and FaceTime, our relationship is really solid no matter the distance. It also takes a lot of time to travel from Uruguay to LA, and at certain points, throughout Covid required a lot of paperwork; as a result, it can get a bit tiring. On the plus side, I can keep working on and promoting my music consistently, which I love!
Do you feel that artists really have no choice but to follow their dreams, that it’s a vocation as much as a job? If suddenly overnight music and the arts no longer existed, what would you choose to follow for a career?
I think certain circumstances can be prohibitive for artists to be able to truly devote the necessary time to their dreams no matter how much they want to. If you’re struggling to keep your head above water, you need to prioritize being able to cover the bare necessities. That being said, I believe that most artists feel the arts are a vocation rather than just a means to an end. I think, in a way, you have to genuinely love music to put up the with the industry’s downsides, or you’ll end up pretty miserable. If I weren’t making music, I would likely have continued studying Global Public Health at NYU and gone into a career somewhere in that field, specifically in a role centered around advocacy for mental health and overall health equity. I recently began taking online college courses in GPH to keep learning and eventually get my degree. It’s a subject I feel very passionate about, and I hope to use a platform in music to advocate for better health equity, especially here in the US. It is a topic that is, unfortunately, more relevant than ever and that has personally touched my life.
What’s next on the horizon for you with regard your music? What can fans expect from you for the remainder of 2022 and beyond into next year?
I have an EP that I will release towards the end of August, and I am finishing up my first album, which will likely be released at the top of next year. Additionally, I am currently working on a cool metaverse-related project involving some of my new music and the creation of a virtual Nya. It’s pretty trippy! The new music coming is, I believe, my best and most vulnerable yet and will be paired with a lot of carefully crafted visuals. I will also have live performances built around the releases. So there are a lot of new and exciting things coming!
Who or what have been your biggest inspirations musically? What about in your day-to-day life?
Musically I am inspired by so many genres and artists, from Frank Sinatra, my first musical love, to the Eagles, my father’s favorite band, to Anderson .Paak or the Internet, exceptional genre-bending artists. Some of my top favorite singers are Sarah Vaughan and Anita Baker. I love the songwriting of Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Amy Winehouse, and Sting. As you can see, my musical interests and inspirations are pretty varied. Daily, I am inspired by my family, especially my dad and husband, whose love and constant support mean the world to me. I also find inspiration in any person I meet who is kind and genuine. That is, in my opinion, what makes a person truly beautiful.
Finally, and I ask this question of everyone I speak to, what question do you wish someone would ask you in an interview, but nobody ever does? And what’s the answer to that question?
Hmmm, this is an interesting one. I guess I’d have to say, “What is your definition of success?”. I think the concept of success is profoundly subjective and in music is so often thought of in terms of fame and money. My definition of success is living a happy and fulfilling life filled with love. For me, success is being a human that makes the world a little better rather than worse. I genuinely love music, and I want to be proud of the work I create. I want to know that I have given my best within reason in everything I do.
Watch the video for ‘Closer Than Close’ below, and find out more about Nya and her music online on her official website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
