- Words Darcy Culverhouse
Rising alt-pop songwriter Nastiya Kai unravels dark hypnotic single ‘Bury Me’.
While many artists endeavour to infuse honesty into their work, few do so as authentically as rising alt-pop artist, Nastiya Kai. Renowned for charging her lyrics with piercing honesty, addressing universally resonant themes, Nastiya fearlessly confronts life’s most pressing questions, and she encourages you to do the same. Bringing her authenticity to centre stage, her latest track ‘Bury Me’ sees her explore the familiar sensation of shouldering blame for the actions of others.
From playing piano in her formative years to writing songs at the age of 10, music swiftly became Nastiya’s backbone finding solace playing the guitar in her boarding school dormitory. After numerous career shifts and moving around the globe, it wasn’t until she underwent these changes that she realised that music was the one thing that remained steadfast in her life. This realisation prompted her to take music seriously, as she began cementing her name in the scene with a slew of singles late last year.
Despite her debut just a year ago, Nastiya’s unique take on alt-pop proves that she’s here to stay. While journeying us on an emotional rollercoaster, ‘Bury Me’ sees Nastiya navigate the complex issue of self-blame for the actions of others. Whisking up a ballad-inspired melody, sparse ambient instrumentation is punctuated by tender folky acoustic guitar, which eventually gives way to the electronic drop at the end of the song. As her hauntingly potent vocals grace the thumping soundscape, she explores the depths of misplaced guilt, inner turmoil and blame.
Nastiya Kai shared: “‘Bury Me’ is about blaming yourself for all the horrible things someone else is responsible for. When someone is clearly out there to hurt you but you keep asking yourself if there’s anything you did wrong and what can you do to fix it even when you’re already underground as it is. I built it in a way where it takes you through this emotional rollercoaster. It starts off as a ballad, then evolves into a country-inspired chorus only to build up into a major electronic drop by the end.”