Meet NAVVY, who channels darkness into bright pop with new single, Pieces

Header image by Lula Cucchiara.

Over the last 18 months, it's become apparent that there's something incredibly special in New Zealand-based musician NAVVY. Since bursting into the pop world with her debut double A-side Subliminal / Somebody Like You, she's consistently built upon herself and evolved with every release, diving into the depths of who she is as a person and what got her there, and emerging out the other end with bright-eyed, dance-ready pop music that breaks these parts of her life apart and finds the glory and triumph in them.

It's something that over the last two years, her music has come to reflect. Last year, a string of singles paved the way for her debut EP The Breakup, released just as the rest of the world begun to fall head over heels with fresh faces from the New Zealand pop sphere - see: BENEE, Robinson, etc. Then, not content with slowing down, she kept them coming; Mad At You and Scared To Be Happy, both released last year, preluding a second EP to arrive just months after the first, with the No Hard Feelings EP showing an enormous range of growth over such a short space of time.

Once again, it's clear NAVVY isn't halting with a second EP now under her belt, and while many attempt to balance the fine line between quality and quantity, it's clear that NAVVY is able to give us both. Pieces, released today, is a charging pop song that takes NAVVY into a near-Robyn territory, seeing the musician reflect on a particularly turbulent 12 month period and emerge victorious on the other side, something shown through the track's dancing rhythms and discoball-lit grooves. 

"It was a messed up time in my life, but now I simply feel lucky to have loved so hard that losing it felt so horrible," she says, reflecting on the break-up that'd eventually come to influence Pieces, and use her past two EPs as a soundtrack - and venting board - for the complex emotions running through her head at the time. However, feeling her confidence soar on Pieces, it's clear that NAVVY has come out the other side of this time on-top, and nothing looks set to be dragging her down anytime soon.

With Pieces now under her belt, it's clear there's something special in NAVVY (something sure to be further revealed with releases expected across much of the next twelve months). Before she gets huge, jump on early - dive into Pieces below and better introduce yourself to force-to-watch underneath that:

Tell us about yourself?

Well, I’m a gal living in New Zealand who really loves people. I think my favourite thing in life is helping people, and music has become a really phenomenal way to reach a lot of people all at once. 

What’s the ‘vibe’ music-wise?

I think there is a very palpable theme of love and everything that comes with that. Heartbreak, forgiveness, growth, moving on. Sound wise, it hits me in my electronic pop heart.

What are your production and writing processes usually like?

I absolutely LOVE collaboration. One of my favourite things to do is be in a room with my friends and write songs, and I am incredibly lucky to have such talented friends. But usually I will go into the room, and just ramble about whatever is in my brain at the time, and I’ll keep rambling until what I have said resembles some kind of storyline or feeling we are trying to capture. I also try to write on my own a lot, but it is no where near as fun. I always write the melody and the lyric simultaneously.

Can you tell us about your new single, Pieces?

I would LOVE to! I am such a fan of this song. I wrote it with Starsmith and Rory Adams in London in 2019, and it was my first ever overseas writing session. I remember going in and talking about how it felt like trauma had really broken me. Not just my heart, but my body too, and that I had been worried I wouldn’t find all of the pieces. As I was talking, Rory theorised that I’d found them and I realised he was right. I didn’t even know I’d been healing until I was healed. This song is a really important memory of a really significant moment of my life for me.

What does 2020 have in store for you?

At this point, your guess is as good as mine. There are a few things I am certain of. I will release at least one more EP this year. I’ll write a lot more songs. I will look after myself and spend lots of time with my family and pals. I’ll go live on Instagram a lot because that’s a fun way to hang out with people I can’t visit.


What do you want people to take away from the project?

I think my goal is always to make people feel. I would hate for someone to listen to my music and just think ‘that was nice’. I feel emotions really deeply, and I hope that shows in what I make, and encourages other people to feel theirs too. I also hope people think more about forgiveness when they listen to my music. It is a really big theme of mine, and I think it’s a really important part of the human experience.

Where can we find more of your music?

You can find it in all of the usual places, Spotify, Apple Music, Youtube and whatnot. 

Follow NAVVY: FACEBOOK / TWITTER / INSTAGRAM