Over these last few years, experimental artist indyana has established herself as one of the more inventive names rising through the ranks. And after a head run of releases these last few months, she recently returned to deliver her highly-anticipated debut album ‘the navy baby’.
So with the new LP out now, we joined her in conversation to find out more about her background and what she has planned for the future as well.
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Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got started in music?
As with most musicians, I started at a very young age. I always loved to sing and my parents exposed me to a wide variety of genres, all the way from heavy metal to sleep music, which opened my mind to loving many kinds of music.
I formally started my musical training on the violin at age 7, which I studied classically for over a decade. I also took up viola at age 13, which is now the instrument I utilise most in my songwriting and live performances. Training classically in these two instruments gave me such an in-depth understanding of music and, although I do not play in a classical sense anymore, I would not change a thing about my musical upbringing. Having an in-depth knowledge of music theory is one of the biggest reasons as to why creation comes to me so effortlessly. For me, songwriting feels as natural as speaking.
Who are your biggest musical influences and how have they shaped your sound?
There are two defining moments for me in considering this. First, I was deeply inspired by my mother’s band ‘Rezzalp’ (which involved her and three of her sisters). I spent countless nights of my childhood falling asleep as they wrote and rehearsed downstairs. Although they no longer write music, I listen to their album ‘In My Dreams’ and their EP ‘The Preview’ often and it is so abundantly clear to me why I write the way I do.
On a very different note, I believe that my soul calling to writing music was truly sparked at age 9 when I was given a CD of the ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ soundtrack, written by Nicholas Hooper. For the first time in my life, I understood just how impactful sound could be on a person’s life. Then and there, my heart knew what it wanted in life; to experience what I can only describe as my heart exploding over and over again. Now, I have countless film scores in my music library and they are the reason why my music has that cinematic flare to it.
Was there a specific moment or experience that made you decide to pursue music seriously?
To elaborate a little further on my answer to the previous question, I think that it was movies in general made me want to pursue music. There wasn’t necessarily a specific moment but there have been hundreds, if not thousands, of moments. Yes, I was inspired by several pop singers, admiring their incredible stage sets and backup dancers. And yes, my theoretical knowledge likely gives me a more intricate lens through which I can appreciate harmony. However, there is something so indescribably powerful about the combination of image and sound to me. I am actually so lost for words at trying to describe the feeling but I think most of us would agree that a film has, at some point or another, made us feel more connected to yourself and/or has enabled a beautifully heightened emotional experience. I cry during every film that I watch, even more so on the second or twentieth watch, and the experience tears my soul to pieces in the best way possible. However, being the emotionally expressive being that I am, I also wanted to blend my music with my voice and my poetry, which led to the birth of my ‘ethereal, cinema-pop’ genre.
Can you walk us through your typical songwriting process?
From time to time, I’ll happen upon a song while experimenting with an instrument as many songwriters do. But, for the most part, I tend to feel really sudden, potent messages flooding my mind, whether it’s a visual concept or a melody calling out to me, as if tugging on my soul. Usually, a vision will come hand in hand with sound. Whether it is a melodic motif or a chord progression or some words, I hear it in my head and I jot it down, as well as describe
the vision I had. I am currently conceptualising my second album and, though I have not fully delved into it as of yet, I had a really powerful vision a few months ago. Whenever I think about it, I get chills and I am really looking forward to procuring the sound world for it.
How do you find inspiration for your music and lyrics?
Inspired by my own desire to become closer to nature and in turn knowing and understanding myself more, my music has always been very introspective and reflective. I do believe love to be the most beautiful force of all but I have never felt inclined to write any songs about my romantic relationships with others. Yes, I have loved and continue to love many human beings, but I have never been more in love than I am with the natural world. Some of us have lost our way in this day and age. I truly believe that a return to the natural world will heal all cosmic relationships and inspire an abundance of loving energy that none of us have had the privilege of experiencing yet.
What themes or messages do you hope listeners take away from your music?
The most prominent message from my debut album ‘the navy baby’, my sonic exploration of mortality, is that we are born from stars and that we will inevitably return to them, eternally shapeshifting across the universe. All I could ever hope for is that my music will cast my listeners into their depths and gift them with their own unique clarity on what it means to exist and perhaps soothe them if they too have experienced existential thoughts as I have. Above all else, I hope that my album, and all of my music yet to come, will spark a desire in others to reconnect with the real world and, therefore, to the truest version of themselves.
What challenges have you faced as an emerging artist in the music industry?
I can’t really say that any challenges that I have faced have been unique. However, as a fully self-led and self-funded independent artist, the challenges I struggle with on a daily basis tend to be related to having really big visions but not being able to execute them quite as grandly as I desire. I have had the privilege of working with a few really incredible people who have helped me bring my visions to life out of the kindness of their hearts but, at the end of the day, it is a really small community and I’m still doing it all alone. Nothing will stop me from continuing on but I do hope to one day receive the support that I seek (more on the financial and technical side of things) so as to take my career to the next level and, most importantly, fuel all of my energy into my creativity.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your musical journey so far?
The most rewarding part of my musical journey so far was the release of my debut album ‘the navy baby’, which came out on October 17 of this year. For years, I put it off because I was afraid of failure or of not bringing it to fruition ‘perfectly’. In light of what I answered to the previous question, I was also afraid of the amount of effort I would have to put in as an independent artist. It seemed unfathomable. I still have a lot to learn about the process but I am so incredibly proud of myself for seeing it through.
How do you stay true to yourself and your artistry in a constantly evolving industry?
To be very honest, I have never found it difficult to stay true to my artistry. Not once have I ever felt the urge to adapt my creations to please anyone other than myself and this is what I believe makes me a strong artist. Of course, there were moments of collaboration throughout the process of my debut album, during which I kept an open mind. The social
media grind has also felt somewhat defeating at times when trying to figure out how to get people to pay attention. But I have always maintained a strong sense of self when it comes to my musical identity and I know that staying on this path is what will draw the right crowd to my art. If I wasn’t doing this, it would quite literally render everything I write about useless and make my art a lie.
What can fans expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects or tours?
For now, I will take a short rest period to recoup and regather my creative energy. The reality of touring for an independent artist is that it is very difficult and very costly so I am not able to announce any tours as of yet. Although, I am really thrilled to say that a very clear vision for my next album presented itself to me a few months ago and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. To anyone reading, keep an eye out for whenever that ends up being announced! It is undoubtedly still a little while away but I am really excited to work hard and believe in myself more than I did during the creation of my debut album.
Where do you see yourself and your music career in the next five years?
I feel excited when I consider this. To be honest, I could have never predicted five years ago that it would have taken me this long to believe in myself enough to release my debut album. However, now that I have a deeper understanding of the album process, I feel so motivated. Within five years from now, I imagine I will have released my next album (maybe even my next two albums if I work really hard). Continually showing up for myself during the later stages of releasing my debut album taught me that all it takes to ‘make it’ is persistence; to keep going, no matter what.
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Listen to indyana’s debut album ‘the navy baby’ below.
