Rising artist NYA chatted about “Closer Than Close,” and being a performer in the digital age.
How did “Closer Than Close” come about?
“Closer than Close” was truly a collaborative effort! I was co-writing with Midian, an awesome songwriter, when she brought “Closer than Close” to me. She had collaborated with a group of gifted creatives, including Stacy Barthe and Dwayne Dialo, to dream up this wonderful song.
When she played it for me, I connected to the meaning and feel of it, and so I wrote the bridge and recorded it. About half the year, I’m away from my now husband for work, and” Closer than Close” is reminiscent of our relationship for me.
I usually write the majority of my songs, but I fell in love with this one the first time I heard it. I then brought it to Brian Kennedy to finish the production, and voilà, magic!
What inspires your music and songwriting?
I draw musical and lyrical inspiration from almost everything around me. First and foremost, I am inspired by my personal experiences and the experiences of those closest to me.
I am also constantly reading, listening to new and old music, watching television and films, traveling to different places around the world, and looking for exciting visuals via platforms like Pinterest. I want to be a sponge.
There are artists I am continually inspired by that have had a foundational influence on my writing. 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. And I love the songwriting of Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Amy Winehouse, and Sting. These are the artists that are always on repeat for me.
How does it feel to be an artist in the digital age? (now, with streaming and technology being so prevalent)
Being an artist in the digital age is both exciting and stressful. On the positive side, social media allows independent artists especially the opportunity to connect with more people than ever and allows artists to have more control over their own narratives.
On the flip side, the constant expectation to produce content and higher metrics can be overwhelming and take away focus from the music. But like with most things in life, you take the good with the bad. You can definitely make lemonade, metaphorically speaking.
What do your plans for the future include?
I have a new single, “Mother’s Daughter,” that will be released in mid-August. This single is part of a vulnerable EP titled “Side Effects” that I’m so excited to release! I am also finishing up my first LP, which will likely be released mid-next year.
Additionally, I am currently working on a super cool metaverse 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 that I can’t wait to share! Personally speaking, I just got married in May, so I have exciting chapters ahead as well in my private life.
Who are your dream male duet choices in music? I
If I could go back in time, I’d say Frank Sinatra or Marvin Gaye. Sinatra was my first musical love, and Marvin Gaye has one of my favorite voices of all time. Today my dream choices would be pretty varied. I love Anderson. Paak’s music and style.
I really enjoy Daniel Caesar’s voice. Some other dream choices include Harry Styles, Dermot Kennedy, Labrinth, and Ray LaMontagne. Like I said, pretty varied genre and style-wise, but all awesome!
What does the word success mean to you? (My favorite question)
Hmmm, this is an interesting one. I think the concept of success is profoundly subjective; in music, it 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. To 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.
What would you like to tell our readers about “Closer Than Close”? (What’s the one thing you want them to get out of it)?
For me, “Closer than Close” is all about a healthy and beautiful kind of love. One of my favorite lyrics in the song is “he knows I love me; he loves me for that.” It’s about loving that person who both empowers you to be your best and also feels like home.
To learn more about NYA, follow her on Instagram.
