[Exclusive Interview] NASAYA on The Music, Visual Design, Being Stubborn in Art & More
If there’s anyone who is able to hypnotize you into a magical trance, that would be NASAYA’S music.
NASAYA, otherwise known as Theo, is a guitarist/producer with an incredible talent for sonic manipulation and dreamy soundscapes. The Berklee College of Music graduate left the east coast to pursue his music fully on the west side and since his time here, he has begun to perform more of his music in front of crowds. The artist released three-hit singles last year, that really shaped and defined his sound and aesthetic, which includes “PATTERNS”, “MIDNIGHT PURPLE”, and “PLASTIC STRAW”. More recently, he released his single featuring the vocalist JANEVA titled “NO GOOD”.
From the day I first heard his music, I knew I need to interview him and find out more about him and the creative process behind the sound. We met at Lilit Bakery & Cafe, which is an authentic French bakery in North Hollywood that he frequented. It was dark out, but LA’s usual hustle was alive. It was actually quite dreamy sitting in this very European cafe watching lights from cars flashing by us through the window—in fact, it was very fitting for his music.
The weekend before this, I had attended his performance opening for the indie-pop artist, Tim Atlas. It was amazing, let me tell you. The crowd poured in slowly, and I wasn’t the only one jamming out while running around taking photos. I turned to see the whole crowd smiling, nodding their heads, and turning to each other asking who is this mysterious, quiet man on stage with fantastic melodies and killer guitar skills. Sarah Diamond then joined him on the stage for their hit “PATTERNS” and that’s when everyone lost it. Her voice echoed stunningly throughout the room, his guitar serenaded right along and together the ultimate concoction was created. It was dreamy, magical, and pretty epic. He reappeared later to play guitar for Atlas looking cool and collected and in his own little musical bubble. Every once in a while he would look out into the crowd and give a smile to then return to his guitar. After that show, I was ecstatic to hear more from the artist.
HERE IS OUR INTERVIEW
Neelu Mohaghegh [M] Okay, so go ahead and explain how you got started in music.
NASAYA [N]: I started when I was 12 or 13. My friend was playing guitar, so I wanted to play guitar too, and then I really liked it, and I pursued my music on YouTube. It was like guitar music, jazz stuff, and then I basically sent it to a teacher at Berklee, and they gave me a scholarship so I went there when I was 16—it was like a summer program—and from there I actually auditioned for college, and I got a scholarship. So, I finished high school, moved to Boston, and I was doing mostly guitar at this point. Then I started production two years in, and then I moved to the City of Angels.
He laughed at this, waving to the darkness outside.
[M] Amazing! So, between LA and New York, what made you come here?
[N]: Ummm… the weather? haha. No, honestly, all of my friends moved here like yeah, like people migrated before me, I then moved to LA. I had people who moved to New York but it’s more business stuff, but I actually like New York. I was just there and I liked it.
[M]: You think you’ll end up there too? Maybe at some point?
[N]: Yeah, I feel like I like the energy more in New York than in LA. LA is very lonely. It’s cool because everyone’s here, but it’s like I’m always in my house.
[M] Yeah, no, I definitely agree with that. So, I came out this way, but I think I already missed the city.
[N]: Yeah, I mean, I don't know, I was in New York for two days and it was cold.
We went on a tangent discussing our experiences in Boston, areas we lived in, and local spots we recall going to often. We also related on finding people from Boston or Berklee College of Music alum in Los Angeles everywhere we went. The nostalgia definitely kicked in for the both of us. After some more conversation, we jumped back into the questions.
[M]: So okay, so of the songs you've written so far and produced, which one do you think resonates the most with you? Or which is your favorite.
[N]: I think it’s probably “Patterns.”
[M]: That’s my favorite.
[N]: I also had the demo for six months, and usually when I have a demo for that long, I hate it, but I just always really liked this one. When I found the vocals, when Sarah recorded her vocals, I was like finally, cool.
[M]: Yeah. That's awesome! So, if you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
[N]: Oooo, that’s easy, Tame Impala. Definitely. For sure.
[M]: Who are some of your musical influences? Like what got you into the music you do now?
[N]: Oh, dude, there’s so many because I was super into classical rock when I started then I got into jazz, and then production. I’m gonna say 25 names, but it was Madeon at first—like when I first heard him I was like “Fuck, I gotta make electronic music.”
[M]: The new album, did you like it?
[N]: Yeah, love it.
[M]: It’s like you can feel his emotions actually.
[N]: I think his first album was his best one though. I like “Miracle”, it’s the best song he made. He's the first one I really liked. I mean he got me into production. And then there’s Flume, of course. My recent favorites are Tame Impala and Jamie XX and John Mayer and Frank Ocean.
[M]: So, in your opinion, what makes a good production?
[N]: I feel like it's when people are bold. It’s hard to define, but like good mixes and good ideas.
[M]: Is there a formula that you think they should start with or need to have?
[N]: Yeah, I feel like if you have good drums then you’re all set. For me the drums are the most important. I would never like a song if I didn’t like the drums.
[M]: How has your music changed from when you first started producing to now if you look back, is there any evolution from when you first started back in Boston and Berklee to now here in LA?
[N]: When I was in Boston I was doing more weird stuff, because it wasn’t like a project. I was fucking around more, and it was more childish. It wasn’t that bold—more trying to figure out production. I was releasing music to show what I could produce, but now I think the aesthetic is better. Even if the songs are different, they’re less all over the place.
[M]: I think you’ve also got an amazing talent to shape your music to your featured vocalists as well.
[N]: Oh, thanks!
[M]: Okay, so this is going off with the name of the blog, the blog is called “detour.” The whole point of that is because I want to be able to talk to the artists and talk about them because there’s more to a person than just the music they make. What is your detour?
[N]: I do a lot of pictures and videos. I used to do all of the videos and pictures I post for myself. Before music I actually wanted to do 3D design work, like graphic design in general. I really love that. I currently work with someone else now for my music stuff because I like having someone else give me another perspective.
[M]: Very cool. Do you think that would have been like another life path you would have taken?
[N] Ya, 100%. If it wasn’t music, I would do that, and I was actually going to do it, then music became my full time.
[M]: How has your background influenced some of the music you make?
[N]: I have like a weird family. So, my dad is from the French Island, my grandmother was from Madagascar, and my mom's family is half French and half from Algeria. My mom doesn’t practice but she’s Jewish from Jewish origins, and my dad is more Catholic, and it's like a whole mess. Haha. So, I don't think that has changed anything in my sound, but it’s a good combination.
[M] For sure. So, when you're ever performing and you get up on stage, do you get nervous and is there anything that you tell yourself to remind yourself to get yourself back in the zone? I got to see you at your first show in LA at Madam Siam, and it was really good!
[N]: For that first show…I was always super fucking terrified of playing my music and that's why I performed it so late. Especially talking and stuff, because I used to play guitar for other people, and that is fine because I’m in the back. But being in the spotlight is so terrifying, but after this tour, I’ve done so many shows. Some better and some worse, and I now feel like I’m less nervous. I’m always scared about the possibility that my computer will crash though.
[M]: I think it's a hard line that artists have to face a lot of times because as an artist, literally your job is to create the music, not to be a personality. But in today's music, you have to be a personality.
[N]: Ya, I kind of hate that it’s so much about the personality, but it's like so much of a personality because for so many artists that I like, you don't know anything about them, but now you have to. I don't feel like artists have to share that much.
[M]: Okay, a fun question. If you had to be a drink, any kind of drink at all, which one would you choose?
[N]: Fuck…I like red wine or a champagne. Hahaha.
He says champagne sarcastically, making us both laugh.
[M]: Haha, ok ok, If you had to also choose a type of food to take with you on tour, and it was the only food you could eat on tour, what would it be?
[N]: Oh, this is hard. Let me think. Something you can’t get tired of. If I had to, I’d really just eat sushi.
[M]: What’s your roll?
[N]: No, discrimination, anything with fish.
[M]: Okay, so what's one thing you'd want to tell people like for advice? Like if they're pursuing music or anything like that?
[N]: Oh no, I feel like I need people to give me advice haha. If someone is frustrated, you should take a break? Or work harder and get more frustrated. haha. I want to. Say something inspirational, but I wouldn’t believe myself. But I would say take a break, but also at the same time, it’s not true. Because I feel like I got better at producing by just pushing, and hating my music, just being like “fuck it” and just doing it more and more. So it's a balance, and I feel like to be an artist you have to be in balance. Right? I don’t see any artist I really love that is completely healthy. It’s not that making art isn’t healthy, but it’s that you have to be stubborn with your art.
NASAYA explains that in his own songwriting, drums and guitar come naturally to him, so when he writes, those usually come first, then he brings on a vocalist to write the lyrics, and then
[M]: So, where do you dream to perform one day?
[N]: I have some places. The Olympia in Paris, headlining at the El Rey Theatre, Red Rocks Theatre, and Coachella.
[M]: In terms of your music, is there anything you want to do more of, something you haven’t touched yet?
[N]: I actually wrote music for two short movies back home. It’s kind of different from my project, but I love to do it. I'm doing it for like a longer project—working with this French director from back home for like 20 minute movies. I love doing it because when you have a picture you have to be inspired, and I really want to do my own short film for my music down the road. I definitely want to do more visual art stuff.
I could feel the energy radiating off of him as he spoke about all of this. The passion for visuals and music matched together are dreams he is ready to start chasing.
[N]: I also feel like when I’m producing versus when I’m designing or am on Photoshop it’s like the same software, it’s just like layers.
[M]: For sure. On your cover art too, they’re very visual pieces, almost like wave forms but layers of fabrics folding over each other.
[N]: Right! I feel like it's as important as the music. That’s why I really like Flume, because his aesthetic is amazing. Everyone started doing the same thing. Every electronic artist was like ooo, we should do a 3D cover, because it’s so strong visually, it works so well with the music, it makes it sound better.
[M]: Is there anything you’re working on that you’re excited about in the next year?
[N]: New songs that need to be mixed. They’re just instrumental. Then I have a song that has vocals that are more samples—it’s kind of Flume-like or Bonobo-like, which I’m really excited about. I want to do music videos. This year, I want to take the project and be able to say here’s my brand, here’s my aesthetic, so it’s more clear.
[M]: What have you done recently in LA that was really fun?
[N]: Dude, I went to this screening of Princess Mononoke [by Hayao Miyazaki] the other day. I love his movies.
[M]: I love his movies!!!
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We laughed about how dark those movies usually are, especially as films we saw when we were so young, but no one can deny how beautiful they are. He did admit that most of his time is spent writing and producing music, and how because of that he’s getting a bit burnt out, so the holidays will be the best getaway for him. We conversed a but more, even briefly in French to test out my understanding, and then we said our goodbyes.
It was a pleasure to chat with such a young and talented individual, and looking forward to hearing what’s to come in the new year.
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