Memories From A Vinyl feels like a 16-minute sonic film that makes you forget about time and space. In between time and space, Nishy’s pulsing lo-fi aesthetic evokes nostalgia, while the hazy, floral soundscapes in the EP spiral disillusion and awakening with a touch of melancholia. Brewing an intimate, illusive late-night ambiance, her sexy, multi-lingual dialogues allure you with hushy whispers, late-night phone calls, and unapologetic confessions that dissolve into the airy, romantic atmosphere that is both smoothly luscious and rough-edged at the same time.

The melodies in the songs are deliciously addictive. As a debut release, Nishy certainly leaves a memorable impression, but Memories From A Vinyl is more than just a collection of songs. Nishy builds a world in Memories From A Vinyle with non-linear storytelling.

It feels so surreal, yet at the same time, disillusioned. Memories From A Vinyl revolves around a journey into a woman’s inner world—her sensuality and innocence, her strength and determination are all intertwined together. The EP is no doubt intimate, not just the raw-edged intricacy in its production, but the honesty and depth of the character. From the perspective of pain and struggle, Nishy explores the topic of self-worth, which makes listeners feel every slice of her heart pulse when the woman in Memories From A Vinyl share her voice.

Read our interview with the artist below where we talk about all things Memories From A Vinyl.

Punk Head: I love the intimate yet immersive atmosphere that you draw listeners into in Memories From A Vinyl. When did you first have the idea for the EP and how has this idea evolved through time?

Nishy: As far as I can remember, I think the first idea of Memories From A Vinyl came to me just before the lockdown in March 2020. I was inspired by the people around me and what they were going through at the time. Then one night, I felt a strange energy in the air and I couldn’t sleep at all. So, I put on some sweet Lofi-type beats and ASMR to sleep. Then I heard the sound of a vinyl scratching and in a flash, it came to me. I had like a vision in my head. It was the story of a woman remembering her own worth thanks to a romantic disillusionment. Then I could hear the melody of “MMT” in my head with the lyrics. I already had other melodies for other songs before but I didn’t know they would fit this project. So, when I finished assembling all my ideas, Memories From A Vinyl was born.

Through time, I replaced some songs with new ones because this project evolved a lot. I’ve been working with my co-creator Aryh Love Baker. He allowed me to dive deeper into the artistic aspects of Memories From A Vinyl and worked on all the technical aspects. It took some time to develop this project because I was going through a hard time in my personal life. And because of the global situation we were living in, we had to work from home for the creative process. Sometimes it wasn’t very easy but it gave me the last narrative aspects to nurture my debut EP.

PH: What are you most proud of about this EP?

Nishy: Oh, I love the immersive atmosphere of the project. I wanted my music to sound cinematic. The feedback I've had confirm this, so I'm very happy with it. A lot of people who listened to Memories From A Vinyl told me that they love the sound of the spinning vinyl. So do I, because I think it’s a very soothing sound and it is also the main element of the Lofi Aesthetic which creates the immersive ambiance. Also, I believe that the way I added spoken verses, whether it is in “Hello? It’s me...,” “MMT” or “Phase,” reinforces the intimate atmosphere. So, I’m very proud that I was able to do that.

PH: Can you tell us more about you as an artist?


Nishy: Well, I was born in France but my parents are from Mauritius. So I grew up listening to various genres of music ranging from French Chanson to Bollywood music. Also during my teenage years, I listened to a lot of American music including Pop, Hip Hop, and R&b. But one day as I came home from school, I discovered Nina Simone and I felt a deep connection with Soul music and Jazz. From this day, I knew that music would be a great part of my life. So, I started writing poems around the age of 15 then my very first songs at the age of 18. I have always been inspired by everything around me including the people who crossed my path. Their stories would inspire me with songs in which I could explore their emotions. In the beginning, I would compose melodies on the guitar or the piano. Then later, I discovered Logic Pro X and I understood that I could take my compositions to another level thanks to music production. Which is great because it allows me to give a cinematic atmosphere to my songs. I love to turn human experiences into musical creations. When it comes to music, my favorite part is the creative process. This is why I consider myself a music creator.

PH: Who are your biggest inspirations?

Nishy: As I mentioned in the previous question, Nina Simone is definitely one of my biggest inspirations. I would also listen to a lot of Alicia Keys in my teenage years. But at the moment, I’d say British singer and her eponymous band Sade. I love their musical universe, the arrangements, the soft vocals, and the ambiance... For Memories From A Vinyl, Sade remained one of my biggest inspirations. I was also musically inspired by Selena Gomez and Sabrina Claudio. Because before the creation of this project, I used to listen to the album Rare from Selena Gomez and I discovered Sabrina Claudio with her song “Stand Still” and her album Truth Is. Also, I discovered the Lofi Aesthetic and listened to a lot of Lofi beats on YouTube. So, I have many inspirations and the artists I’ve named are the ones who musically accompanied me during the creative process for Memories From A Vinyl.

PH: What is the one thing that you’d like your fans to know about you?

Nishy: Well… the one thing I’d like you to know is that it's been almost 3 years since I've heard the silence because I have tinnitus. This is the consequence of a noise trauma. I was working on the production of Phase which is the 4th track of my EP and I accidentally got hurt. I almost lost my hearing. But luckily, I got medical treatment in time and was able to fully recover my abilities after taking a break from my musical projects. It was a bit hard not to make music anymore because I felt like I was being deprived of what I loved doing the most: creating. But thankfully, all this was just a phase because now I can make music again while being careful. And I was finally able to release my EP Memories From A Vinyl last February. So today, I feel very grateful for everything because this experience allowed me to grow and evolve. This phase of my life taught me that no matter what is going on in life there is always hope. Always…