You’ll Be Playing ‘Too Far Gone’ on Repeat: Introducing Nastiya Kai
Nastiya Kai is the striking multi-faceted, music artist whose just-released single, Too Far Gone, is a haunting, luring and smoky track that beckons you to play it on repeat as her sultry voice penetrates with a mid-tempo beat and scintillating piano strokes.
Written, produced, and recorded by Nastiya, she harkens back to holistic musicians who create each masterpiece from start to finish, from inception to completion.
The song echoes Nastiya’s rich emotional journey living with BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder), yet the emotions are painted with a broad brush that touches the human condition masterfully.
Recorded in June of 2021, in a studio in Moscow, Too Far Gone is palpable and unvarnished, like the artist, herself. With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, Nastiya is eager to shatter myths and misconceptions around BPD, to discuss her own mental health journey and to educate about a mental health condition this often misunderstood.
A Sampling of Lyrics
Too far gone
Eyes rolling back
Always on the watch
Ready to attack
Buildings burn
People falling back
Caught in the moment
Don’t know how to react
And they’re all here too
Don’t know how to react….
Nastiya Kai’s next single, Liar, is slated for release in May 2023.
I had the chance to sit down with music artist Nastiya Kai to discuss her story and her unique sound.
You were quite known in European fashion circles for your zero-waste fashion line and for being an early adopter of upcycled fashion and environmental activism. What prompted your move to the States and your transition into music?
Nastiya Kai: I love all forms of creativity, but I had an epiphany where I realized that music was the only thing that has really been consistent in my life. No matter what changes around me, no matter my current life circumstances, music is still there and it’s what I have dreamed of doing since the age of 10, so it just made sense. My trip to New York City in December of 2022 was the starting point to a certain kind of freedom. I’ve wanted to come to New York since I was a little kid. I would literally dream of New York in my sleep. I’m a bit of a nomad and can’t stay in the same place for a long time. But right here, right now, living in New York and continuing to make my music is the right choice.
Your debut single, Too Far Gone, has a pretty intense sound. Where did all of that emotion come from?
Nastiya Kai: The song represents raw emotion that is being processed but isn’t fully healed, which I think is such a universal feeling. We have all experienced it. I was in a state of transition, remembering things from my past that I’m not proud of, and there’s more than a few. We are all human. The song is about a bad day that comes rushing back into my mind and the lyrics, instrumentals and tempo are a reflection of that inner moment. It describes that state of intense panic, when you feel like you’ve gone too far and you don’t know how to turn back to what feels right. It’s about fragility, but the lyrics and the music can be interpreted many different ways by the listener, which I love.
Very few musicians today write, record and produce their own tracks, which you did on this single. What was that experience like for you?
Nastiya Kai: I’m still evolving when it comes to producing music, in terms of writing the actual beats and instrumentals, whether it’s digital or live instruments. I did fully write the lyrics and put the song together. It’s my total creation and that was a bit scary. It’s the first song I have ever released, and with that being said, I am really proud of it and loved the process.
What do you hope the listener will get from Too Far Gone?
Nastiya Kai: I Hope people can relate to it and sort of feel the emotions with me. It’s important to feel the bad as well as the good, to cry along to music that makes you feel sad, to celebrate to music that inspires excitement or happiness, to feel what the artist is feeling and interpret that for your own journey. I hope this becomes a song that people can listen to or sing along with on a bad or overwhelming day, and I mean that in the best way.
This single was recorded in a studio in Moscow, Russia, though you now reside in New York. What is the difference in musical taste in the East versus West? And are there some similarities?
Nastiya Kai: I think that Russia is a lot more business than creativity, and that applies to any industry, not just music. Independent artists that make great stuff normally don’t go very far, as the audience over there is very little. But like everywhere, we have people that make incredibly unique sounds that I wish they could share with the whole world. I feel like any place I’ve been to outside my home country has a lot more possibilities in music, especially in the U.S. Here, I feel like you can do whatever you want in any musical genre, no matter how crazy it is, and you will always have someone vibing to your stuff.
Do you plan on releasing an EP or full album in the near future?
Nastiya Kai: I am thinking about an EP, but not a full album just yet. I feel like I need to let out a lot of emotions and experiences to get it out of my system first. Then I’ll be able to make something more cohesive.
Where can people continue to follow you and your music?
Nastiya Kai: That’s easy! You can find me on Spotify, Apple Music, Instagram, and TikTok.
Tweet
