YOKO is a singer and songwriter from St. Petersburg in the genre of dark electronica. YOKO brings together in her music ethnicity, mysticism, languid sadness, sublime metaphors and references to the primordial. All these things are organically woven into modern electronic sound.
Nastya, I'm very happy to see you on our interview. Congratulations on the premiere of the new track. Could you share with us your impressions about the release? Which kind of emotions are you experiencing?
— Hi, thank you! Releasing a track is always stressful, I worry and panic, because for me it's very serious. But surprisingly it was different with the last release. I think it's partly thanks to my manager Tural, with whom we started working not so long ago. He helps me a lot.
We have a traditional question: why did you decide to connect your life with music? What affected your choice? At what point in your life did it happen?
— I would like to answer that I didn't decide anything, the music decided everything for me. I never dreamed of the big stage or of becoming a singer. I just liked to sing for myself. For a long time I was shy of my voice and was a very complex person, so I sang when no one could hear me. It was enough for me at that moment, but later I decided to post a video on Instagram where I sing a cover to ukulele. That moment was the starting point. I received tremendous support from friends and acquaintances, and later my brother Kostya offered to record a song, and my musician friend Maru Nara offered to record an EP. That's how my journey in the venues started with the first song “Stars” and the subsequent EP album “Wasteland”. And on it went!
How did you come up with your pseudonym?
— I was looking for something that would resonate with me for a long time, going through a lot of options until I came across the Japanese name Yoko. I read the meaning and one of the meanings was “child of the ocean”. My mom called me “child of the water” since childhood, plus I find some resemblance to Yoko Ono. Later it turned out that we have a lot of overlap with that name, and it was clear without a doubt that this was it.
Toward what genre do you categorize your music?
— I always say it's electronic with elements of ethnics/folk, but recent releases have gone a little more into pop.
Why did you choose this style?
— Honestly, I don't know. I'm very fond of electronica and ethnic music, and this intertwining of the two came about somehow by itself. More often I just write poems and immediately understand what mood the arrangement should be in, or vice versa - I start to get images in my head from a certain sound, which I later turn into words. And the genre that comes out is most often just a random result of all the above-mentioned actions.
Are you trying other genres of music?
— Yes, the plan is to experiment a lot, I'm constantly on the lookout for music producers with interesting sounds.
Do you listen to your own songs in your daily life?
— Yeah, it happens, but I always cringe a little when someone in front of me turns on my songs.
Do you have any favorite songs of your own? If so, which songs is it and why?
— I'm a mother and I love all my children equally! (Laughs) But “Прятки” a little bit more than the others, because I have a special liking for DnB with that slightly aggressive sound.
We are fascinated by the track “Прятки”. Share with us the story behind its creation.
— I'm glad you really enjoyed the song “Прятки”. The thing is that the lyrics themselves were written long before the arrangement came out. I came to my hometown, and one night I couldn't sleep. Around 4 am my thoughts squeezed my head so much that they started to flow out into words. I wrote the whole text very quickly and went to bed. A couple years later, I ended up on a music residency called “Music Factory” where together with the music producer 813 we finished the song and then with a team of guys from the residency we released it on all the venues.
Where do you find inspiration for creating your songs from?
— I'm going to give you the most banal but truthful answer possible. Everything inspires me, but it's the context in which it comes to me that matters. I can be inspired by a puddle: it will be so dirty, but it will reflect a clear sky. To notice it, I have to be in a certain mood, state of mind, attention. Everything has to coincide for the magic to happen and for the process to begin.
Did you encounter any difficulties while writing the songs?
— Yeah, of course. Sometimes a song just doesn't work: there are a lot of thoughts, but you can't get them into a line. It's important to realize that it's not technically difficult to come up with any rhyming line that fits the meaning. The point is that it has to hit me, and the words have to fully reflect the feelings I'm experiencing. If it doesn't, I don't force myself, I just wait for the right moment.
What does the music mean to you?
— It's a universal language. I can not say a word, but just sing or play a melody, and most people will understand what the melody is about, what is in my heart, what is in theirs. And the beautiful thing is that this can start a chain reaction: people will start creating paintings, jewelry, books, dancing, because this melody is like a spark that lit fires in their hearts, then in the hearts of those who were inspired by them, and so on ad infinitum. The thought gives me goosebumps.
Do you have any hobbies? What do you like to do in your spare time?
— In my spare time I do music and sports. Music is not my main activity at the moment, so in my spare time I go to vocal classes, study Ableton, write songs, and so on. Besides physical health, sport is a great way for me to get my head in order, to release accumulated stress, and in general I like to feel strength in my body.
Describe yourself in 3 words.
— Tar, marsh, braids.
Favourite movie?
— «Pride & Prejudice» 2005.
Favorite TV series?
— «The Office».
Favorite book?
— «The Cruel Age», Isai Kalashnikov.
Your favorite quote?
— Is this a dream or a reality?
Your favorite singer/band?
— Florence and the machine.
Your favorite song?
— Florence and the machine - Seven devils.
What's your house from Game of Thrones?
— I'm like Jon Snow: between the Starks and the Targaryens.
Marvel or DC?
— Marvel.
What's your Hogwarts House?
— Gryffindor.
Do you have an idol and if you do, who is it and why?
