Pigeon Opinion Featuring an Interview with Nia Ray

EV3RGR33N by Nia Ray is a beautifully restrained and emotionally mature return, trading dramatic heartbreak for something far more subtle and lasting. Nia Ray’s vocal delivery is intimate and controlled, letting the emotion breathe naturally.

Interview with Nia Ray

(^)> “For listeners discovering Nia Ray how would you describe ‘EV3RGR33N’ in your own words beyond the theme of abandonment?”

I would describe EV3RGR33N as both a reflection and a release. It provides listeners the ability to look back at a moment where they experienced a feeling of abandonment from a state of ego, “how could you? Why would you?” longing for what you experienced, while also understanding the love you give and hold in yourself will always persevere, and although it’s a sad season its just that, a season, and my heart will feel evergreen again.

(^)> “The song focuses on what comes after heartbreak rather than the breakup itself what made you want to explore that quieter emotional space?”

It’s honestly just the place I was in at the time of writing the song. Alone, in the dark literally and figuratively, in a situation where there was no breakup. There was no drama or explosion, one day they were there and then they were gone with no explanation. Like a ghost, which is where some of those haunting elements come from as well.

(^)> “There’s a strong emphasis on stillness and emotional residue how do you translate something so internal into sound?”

Truthfully im not sure how to answer that. With this song in particular, and a few others, it was very much what some would call a ‘download’. I’m not good at freestyling at all but when I put this beat on and went to record melody ideas, how I usually start every project, the words literally just.. spilled out. And it just lived on my phone for years until now. There were some elements such as the moving backing vocals and nature sounds that were added to create that atmosphere, but I think that’s the only part of the translation I can truly take credit for.

(^)> “Do you think the aftermath of heartbreak is something music often overlooks in favour of more dramatic moments?”

We focus on the topic of ‘breakups and heartbreaks’ all the time in music, but in today’s society where people are good at naming their feelings but never feeling them I can see how it’s maybe not being focused on as much in this context. We focus on the aftermath typically in a positive light, standing up and healing, dancing through the tears or screaming “F*CK THEM”, but not a lot of people are okay with just sitting in those feelings of sadness. Vulnerability is becoming uncommon, so admitting to sitting in your room alone, crying, hurt, asking “why? How could this happen?” Not a lot of people even wanna admit to doing that.

(^)> “There are natural elements woven into the production what role do those textures play in shaping the emotional tone of the song?”

Like I was saying earlier, I wanted to convey that feeling of being haunted. Like standing in a forrest alone with a strong brisk breeze, the kind that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up, but then the sun peaks through the trees and the warmth brings a sense of peace. I wanted it to transport you to a place where you hear the breeze moving through the trees.

(^)> “Your music is described as emotionally grounded and focused on unspoken moments what kinds of real-life experiences tend to inspire that?”

I’m a person that feels strongly about everything, what most would call ‘sensitive’, so I find meaning and beauty in everything on a day to day basis. But of course my real life relationships and the heartbreak portion of my love experiences have been a big inspirational factor in majority of my music.

(^)> “Do you find it easier to write about emotions after you’ve had distance from them or while you’re still inside them?”

I do a little bit of both. There’s usually a lookout of emotions that come out in real time, but it comes out as mostly confusing nonsense but then I’m able to revisit things and sort them out in a way that I like once my emotions have subsided a bit

(^)> “You’ve recently returned after stepping back to refine your direction what did that period of stepping away give you creatively?”

I think it gave me a little bit more freedom creatively. I feel like I was concerned moreso with how people would accept the music or the packaging as a whole before, and although I was being honest, it could’ve been even more honest, but I’m sure that also comes with growth and understanding of your emotions once you have the time to reflect.

(^)> “Has that break changed the way you approach songwriting or production decisions now?”

It’s made me jump into doing things a little faster opposed to sitting on it forever.

(^)> “Your sound also carries subtle pop and hip-hop influences how do those elements find their way into an R&B and soul foundation?”

I think that just comes from the way I’ve grown up listening to everything under the sun, I don’t know how to stay true to one genre because I’ve never in my life only in took or focus on one specific genre. My playlist has always gone from R&B to hip hop to pop to musical theatre to alternative and everything in between.

(^)> “Do you think of your work more as storytelling or as emotional documentation?”

I think they’re always a mix of both. Even if im simply documenting my emotions there’s always a story that can be understood by the way I display or narrate my emotions. It usually doesn’t stop at just “I’m sad” but how and why do I feel sad? But there are songs of mine like ‘off my mind’ which focus heavily on the storytelling elements.

(^)> “There’s a sense of intentionality in this new phase of your artistry what does ‘fully realized’ mean to you right now?”

I don’t think there is a such thing as “Fully realized”. To me all that can be fully realized is that you will never know or understand everything. Every day is a new realization, your mind, opinions and thoughts are ever expanding and can change with each new realization.

(^)> “And finally what do you want listeners to feel or understand when they sit with ‘EV3RGR33N’ in its quietest moments?”

I just want EV3RGR33N to be one of those songs people listen to and go “ugh that’s exactly how I feel, I just wasn’t sure how to put it into words”. Understanding and feeling their hearts hurt, while also (333) understanding that hurt is divine protection and aligning you with where your love truly deserves to go. And a lot of times that’s self.

(•)> That's all, Folks! Check out Nia Ray on the Pigeon Opinion Playlist