VENTS Magazine recently interviewed rising pop singer/songwriter Nya about her brand new “Side Effects” music video!

“Side Effects” is an emotional track. Why did you choose to perform it live for the music video? What does a live performance add to a song? 

Live performance lends another emotional dimension to songs because you have the freedom to really play and feel. There’s this vulnerability and imperfection that comes from being truly in the moment, and I think that “Side Effects” is showcased well in that kind of setting. I wanted people to see and feel that I mean this song and that it came from my heart.

You have an incredible ability to tell meaningful stories through your music. Can you describe your songwriting process? 

Firstly, thank you! My songwriting process can differ depending on who I might collaborate with and what process best fits the circumstance. I will often begin a songwriting session by listening to an undeveloped track or simple progression. For side effects, producer and gifted pianist, Brian Kennedy, sent me a beautiful but bare piano track. I then listened to the music and figured out the mood or energy of the track. The track for “Side Effects” felt melancholy and almost reflective. From there, I freestyle over the track to see what melodies and lyrics would come naturally. Sometimes melodies and lyrics come together or one before the other. The lyrics, “Buy a modest house, raise a couple of kids…thoughts of settling down,” came to me almost right away with the melody. After that, I just kept chipping away at the song until I had written what is now the finished record. Side Effects is a personal favorite of mine!

Do you think this song represents where you are in your life right now? Where did you draw inspiration from for “Side Effects”?

“Side Effects” came directly from my subconscious ether. It’s all about the Side Effects of becoming an “adult” and the struggle to figure out what growing up means to me. Too often, growing up can be synonymous with settling, an inevitable fall into constricted societal norms. I wanted to touch upon the innate fear and frustration that comes with adulting and the bravery it takes to truly find a life that fulfills you rather than take the path expected of you. That true path could be the picket fence or something much wilder, but so many people never really have the opportunity to define that for themselves. I want to make sure that I do.

How do you hope this relatable track and its music video impacts your fans? 

I hope this track helps anyone struggling with the complexities of adulthood and the burden of societal expectations a little less alone. I always aim to give a voice to those deep-seated and complicated feelings that most people experience but often struggle to talk about out. I want someone to be able to sing along and feel that they are understood.

What does the future hold for Nya? Where do you hope to go in your music career now that “Side Effects” has been released?

There is a lot to come in 2023! “Side Effects” is the title track of the EP I will release in January. This EP is my most honest and vulnerable body of work yet, and I am thrilled to finally release it into the wild! I am working on a debut album, a very cool music-related meta-verse project, and lining up more live performances. I will be releasing video and vlog content that allows a much more intimate look at me as a person and as an artist, the kind of raw content that I was hesitant to share for a long time. I genuinely think 2023 will be my best year yet! My ultimate goal is to make authentic music that gives a voice to the unspoken truths and emotions in all of us and to grow my career and presence while remaining true to myself as an artist and human.  

Follow NYA:

http://www.thisisnya.com
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https://twitter.com/ThisIsNYA
https://www.instagram.com/thisisnya/
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