Musical Artist Nenci Puts Herself Out There in New Singles

Queer, nonbinary singer-songwriter nenci recently released two brand new singles focusing on queer love and putting yourself out there.

Collaborating with her romantic partner, Leviathe, who is an audio engineer and music producer, the two created “Underneath the Moon” and “Lydia,” which are a big departure from nenci’s past releases. Coming out of wanting to explore and blend classical flute, California hip-hop, and experimental R&B, the songs offer a more optimistic approach when it comes to pursuing romance.

OFM had the opportunity to chat more with nenci about “Underneath the Moon” and “Lydia,” as well as working with Leviathe and incorporating her Vietnamese roots into her music.

Hi, nenci! Thank you for taking some time to chat with me. You released your latest single, “Underneath the Moon,” last month. How has it been received?
It has been exciting! I like to compare it a lot because I am kind of a newer artist. I released an album in 2019, and that felt like my diary. I was very much focused on navigating through my mental challenges, like insomnia. One of the singles is called “No Sleep.” So, it was really a shift from talking about my personal struggles. I mention that because “Underneath the Moon” came from a different mindset, and I have been sharing that with folks more prior to the release. It is such a vulnerable thing, so it was very exciting to put myself out there, have folks listen to it, and have it well received. It has been nice to share it with people. We have gotten onto a few playlists and have some press folks, and I just want to keep the momentum going. I still get a little bit of imposter syndrome, but I am just trying to embrace it!

Can you talk more about “Underneath the Moon’s” concept and inspiration?
“Underneath the Moon” is a narrative. Because I was going through putting myself out there and putting myself out of my own comfort zone, the song embraced just going for it. I am a very introverted person, and the narrative is talking about going out one night with friends. Then, in that process, I kind of see someone. Have you ever seen someone that you didn’t know, and you are like, wow, I just love how they carry themselves? They look tight, they are so confident, I wish I was that, I admire them.

So, I had a lot of admiration for this person, and that really made me drawn to this person named Lydia, which I have another song for. It really is like, oh, I kind of put myself out there and introduced myself to this person, and then we started dancing under the moonlight. It is just about letting go and putting yourself out there. I think the best things happen when you don’t plan them, especially with relationships. That makes it really authentic, and that is when I met this person and just talked about that.And your single “Lydia,” which came out last week, is a continuation of the storyline?
Yes. “Lydia” is about, okay, I met this person, we were out dancing, and now I am kind of in an intimate space with them. When you meet someone for the first time, you are like, do they like me? Are you down for me? There is even a line that I say, “will you meet me halfway?” So, I am implying, are you going to put in the effort that I do? Is it worth my time? I am so intrigued with this person that I don’t know yet, but I am going to go for it. Like “Underneath the Moon,” revolves around the theme of going for it and putting yourself out there. Clearly, this narrative is very unfamiliar for me, so that is what “Lydia” is about.

You touched on it earlier, but can you tell us a bit more in-depth about how these two singles are a big departure from your past releases?
My producer, Leviathe, is my partner as well. When we created Tomorrow for Sure, the EP, it was our first time working with each other as well as dating each other. Imagine dating someone who is also your producer. It is business and romantic [laughs]. I do not think I have ever romantically and creatively made something with someone that I date. This was super new for me, and releasing a whole album, there were five songs, it was hard.

In our personal lives, we were figuring out how to work with each other and how to create something and put it out. I feel like with Tomorrow for Sure, it was more experimental and more of a thought process in terms of how the songs sound. More R&B and more upbeat versus the other songs you listen to. They are a bit more melancholy, which is not a bad thing. It was a different chapter in my life, and I am so ready to embrace that I am in a better place.

I am very open about my mental health. I was going through depression, I have a lot of anxiety, I have PTSD. However, it is not that I am shying away from that or putting a blanket over it. It is more about how I can navigate life with it. How I can coexist with it, and I think that is very important.

Related Article: One-On-One with Rising Star Elliot Frances Flynn

What do you enjoy the most about collaborating and working on music with your Leviathe?
She works at a studio, and sometimes she will make a track and give it to me. I am still learning to find my voice. I still have imposter syndrome and think, can I even sing? Do I even sound good? Singing on stage is terrifying for me, but working with my partner, she lets me have access to the studio. That is a privilege, so I appreciate that. She lets me record there if I want to or if it is available.

However, working with my partner, she is so supportive in terms of validating me. She’s like, you have a unique voice, you have a story. Why don’t you share it with someone? I still have stage fright to this day performing, but it is really just exposure therapy. The more you do it and have people that support you around it, the better it is. You just do it. My partner has been super supportive, and she creates the music!

The first album she did, she took more of a direction with the production. With this one, it was an equal collaborative thing. We made the songs together, and that also helped us with our own personal relationship too. It was definitely a journey, but I appreciate that about working with my partner.

Overall, what do you hope listeners take away from your music?
Do you ever have a song where you listened to it and you are like, wow! That speaks to my soul. It takes me to this night and this time of my life, and it really embodies it. I think that is so important, and I have always wanted to share the same feeling that I get from certain songs that I love. Like, do it remind you of this time, place, or this person you are going for and vibed with? That is what I hope.

The second part is representation. Being a queer nonbinary person of Vietnamese American, I do not see a lot of queer folks, a lot of nonbinary folks, a lot of Vietnamese POC in music media. All those together. I wish I saw more of that growing up versus just one category. The music industry is dominated by cis males, so I think seeing representation is important. That is what my goals are.Have you always had a passion for singing-songwriting?
I have. I would say I was in the closet with singing, and just recently in the past 3-4 years started openly singing. Ever since my parents owned a karaoke machine when I was in elementary school, that is when I found my love for singing, but I did not take it seriously until I worked with Leviathe.

Do you like to incorporate your Vietnamese heritage into your music?
I do, and I try to. Growing up, especially a child of immigrants, it was kind of hard to embrace it. You want to simulate. My parents were like, speak more English. Even though I understand Vietnamese and speak it, it is very broken. Growing up, I think I always wanted to be more Americanized, and I strayed away from that. I am owning my identity and reclaiming it more. In “No Sleep” from my first album, I actually wear a very traditional Vietnamese dress. It translates as long dress, but it is called ao dai.

Because the song is talking about insomnia, I kind of incorporate reality, identity, and trauma altogether. It makes it ambiguous where it is like, am I sleeping or am I awake? My parents actually helped me alter the ao dai and bought it from Vietnam. They brought it over here when they visited, so it feels like I am embracing my culture again and not straying away from it. At the end of the day, I need to know my roots, and it is an ode to my parents as well.

As a queer artist, what do you hope to accomplish with your platform?
It goes back to representation. I think there needs to be more queer nonbinary folks in the music media industry. I want to see more folks like me who are making music, making good music, and sharing it. Music is so fluid and there are a lot of genres that crossover, and I think the same with queerness. It is so fluid. There is so much crossover. That is what I want to see.

Before we wrap up, are there any other projects or anything else you would like to mention or plug?
Leviathe and I are working on live recordings of both “Underneath the Moon” and “Lydia.” We are going to send that out, but I hope, depending on our capacity because of COVID, I hope to make a music video for either of the two singles. So, to answer your question, maybe two music videos and a live performance, but I hope to continuously push out music.

To stay up-to-date with nenci, follow her on Instagram, Facebook, or visit her official artist page. “Underneath the Moon,” “Lydia,” and all other songs are available on YouTube, Spotify, and all other digital streaming platforms.  

Photos Courtesy of nenci