NYKARA

Music comes from the heart, and Nykara does not hold back.

Words by Emane Haque | Photo provided

Jerks to: SZA, Summer Walker

Sounds like: Kehlani, Jhene Aiko, Ariana Grande

Jerk Magazine: Was music always something you wanted to pursue?

Nykara: I’ve been doing music forever. My family are very musical people. My grandfather was in a salsa band back in the day. My dad worked in sound recording and studios and everything. I knew this was something I always wanted to do. I always participated in choir. I went to a specialized high school for music as well. We had rehearsals every single day, like two class periods a day dedicated to it. We had a lot of outside performance opportunities, we would go compete at festivals. I was always involved. I didn’t see myself doing anything else.

JM: Can you tell us about your creative process and songwriting approach?

N: I go off of my emotions, what I’m feeling. I use music as an outlet. That’s usually where the creative process starts, and then from there I’ll listen to some tracks whether I search them on YouTube–two of the tracks, my cousin actually produced. I would kind of match the lyrics to what I was hearing and what I was feeling. Sometimes I can write a song in a day; sometimes it takes a little longer. You know, maybe I’m feeling too much at once right now and I need to sit with it to tell the story I want to tell. I usually go to my friends and I’ll be like, “Do you like this? Do you like how this sounds?” because I want people to enjoy it as well.

JM: Your EP is titled, “Over It.” Was there a specific personal experience you were “over” that inspired the title track?

N: I did go through a breakup, but the funny thing about “Over it” was that I wrote that my freshman year of college and it had nothing to do with [the breakup] at the time. I went on Instagram and I knew I wanted to write a petty heartbreak-type song. I put up a little sticker note that said, “Tell me about a toxic ex you had and things you would want to say to them.” People swiped up with their responses, and I already had an idea. I think the first lines I had written were, “Here we go again with the same damn shit/I see your Instagram, I see you posting them pics.” After I got the responses, I kind of just placed the lyrics and formulated the words and put it all together from what I got. Everything else was things I experienced after my breakup. I’ve gotten messages from people relating. It feels really nice to know that my story was put out there and everybody is accepting it.

JM: What is next for you?

N: I have a single coming [out] soon, hopefully by the end of the semester. The song is already done. I’m just working on some marketing stuff because I do it all by myself. I’m also working on a feature album that I’d love to put out, maybe next year. I would say it’s similar to [the E.P]. There is a lot happening in the instrumental which I love. If you listen closely you hear all the little details in it. It gives a trap, R&B vibe. The [upcoming] song is kind of bouncing off of “Honest,” but more like I’m taking back my power. It’s going to be called “Still Love Me.”