Genre-Bending Singer-Songwriter Nya Releases Her Brand New EP "Requiem of Me"
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"I want a digital demise," sings Nya on "High," the penetrating kickoff track on her latest EP, “Requiem of Me”. She's not pulling any punches. In language that's both frank and clever, she lays out the predicament of the modern artist— dependent on screens and social-media approval, but regretful of the time taken away from truly being present in life and artistic exploration. On four glittering jazz-inflected pop songs, Nya wrestles with the exigencies of internet existence and wonders aloud whether the benefits have been worth the price. Impossible standards, casual dishonesty, the culture of constant comparison: it's all taken its toll on society. Few pop singers have been willing to look the beast in the eye, but Nya has never been short on bravery.
It helps that she's so good at what she does. Nya has the type of immediately appealing, endlessly adaptable voice that elevates everything she sings. She's equally at home singing streamlined electropop, soulful R&B, sleek new wave, and throwback jazz — and “Requiem of Me” incorporates and balances elements from all of those styles. The production on the EP displays the same flexibility that has distinguished Nya among young pop singers: she's always growing, always listening, and always pushing to augment her already-formidable skills. Though she was born in Florida, she currently lives between LA and Uruguay, always seeking fresh perspective and inspiration from wherever she may be in the world.
The “Requiem of Me” EP is the culmination of a recent period of travel, experimentation, and introspection, and while it isn't exactly true to say that it wouldn't have happened without the pandemic, it wouldn't be as moody, immersive, or forthright as it is. You've likely already heard the lead single "Won't Pick Up The Phone," a very grown-up pop song that confronts inertia, depression, and transcendence in the sort of straightforward language that comes so naturally to Nya. American Songwriter compared it to Adele and Amy Winehouse. The song's mesmerizing, dream-haunted video has been viewed more than a million times on YouTube since its July release. Nya and her producers follow up "WPUTP" with the jazz-spiked "The Old Me" and "Lost Girl," two songs that demonstrate the strength and texture of her voice and further deepen her confessional storytelling. By the end of the short but powerful set, you'll know this artist well — and you'll be privy to the secret of her success. The more uncompromising she is, the more alluring she becomes.
