VNXA On the Making Of “paradise”
How did you come up with the idea?
VNXA is an off brand anagram using the letters of my first name, but the letter “i” is X’ed out because I keep a little bit of me for myself. “The ghost” idea was born from my first project, r.i.p., a collaboration with a producer (found on Craigslist) about colonization in indigenous land. This birthed the performance art piece of the ghost being the voice of the ancestors making their plea, to let them Rest In Peace.
After the ghost was created, it took on many meanings for me, and is emblematic of my beginning ventures into music. The ghost is representative of the death of the person I used to be, and the transitionary phase between that death and new life: creation through music. It is also a blank canvas, or like a blanket covering a work-in-progress, which is very much how I consider myself. And it offers a way to conceal my identity so win-win.
“Paradise” came from a feeling of loving nostalgia, both to that late 90s/early 2000s RnB and also the type of nostalgia that paints a past lover as better than what they used to be, and fantasizing about that time as if it was a paradise.
Were there any challenges or breakthrough moments during the songwriting process for "paradise?"
Ah! I definitely wanted to have an ode to the late 90s/early 2000s RnB, and “paradise” was my version of that. It wasn’t without challenges, as I never considered myself an RnB singer/songwriter, but this was my attempt. “Paradise” was definitely a triumph in trusting the process, down to the lyrics, sound, composition, intro and outro, but it all came together at the end.
How do you feel "paradise" represents your artistic identity?
“Paradise” is the first record that showcases the yearning, lover girl side of me. All the other records are grittier and faster-paced, and this one is a little slower, and a little sweeter. It was also a venture out of the genre that I consider myself most aligned with, dark pop, and it allowed space for experimentation, exploration and expansion, which I’ll definitely take with me in the creation of new music.
Can you share a bit about your musical background and the journey that led you to where you are today?
Ah!! My musical background is THAT I HAVE NONE!!! So VNXA is very much a passion project from someone that has always wanted to make music but didn’t have the proper musical training or background to feel confident enough to pursue it.
This is also where the ghost comes into play because I felt freedom in becoming this character instead of myself while I garnered the courage to create art and share it with others. I intend to have a lot of fun with the character, and not for nothing it sets me apart from the crowd. I am a piece of living art (ironic cause I’m a ghost lol).
But another leg of my musical journey has actually been going out in person to the music scene in New York City, and I’ve been so fortunate to find a small community of up and coming artists that all have fantastic talent. We’re all incredibly creative, supportive and hungry for more, and I would be dismissive if I didn’t mention the positive effect that has had on making me feel like a true artist. It’s the dream I’m carving and I’m loving every second of it!
Are there any specific themes or messages that you aim to convey through your music?
All of my music is influenced by raw emotional states, catchy hooks and a journey told through music. Whether it’s a trip through a nostalgic “paradise,” or seeing “red” after heartbreak, a reassuring “I’ll be fine” after a breakdown, or even a graveyard chant with the ancestors in “r.i.p”, all of the music tells a story and I hope you stick around for what’s still unwritten.
