A comforting, gentle reminder to let go of negativity and doubt, LA-based trans artist, producer and composer Nina Keith has shared her latest single, ‘Blow Up Yr Life (U Need To)’. Featuring the vocals of indie pop artist Barrie and composer and musician Qur’an Shaheed, the track is a considered, delicate blend of lilting electronics, fragmented voices and crisp production, all of which melt together to create an exquisite, emotive listening experience.
Mixing classical, contemporary and experimental elements into her production, Keith’s skills as a multi-instrumentalist are all the more impressive when you take into consideration that she did not undertake any formal training. Born in Philadelphia, Keith took a DIY route into music, relying on her own ears, experiences of EMDR therapy and her musings on life, death and the afterlife in order to translate her feelings into sound. The result was her debut album, MARANASATI 19111, which she released in 2019, and now she is back with her new single ‘Blow Up Yr Life (U Need To)’.
“Lately the more I wear the turmoil of my life on my sleeve the more often I find myself in conversations with strangers and loved ones that reach a similar end,” Keith explains about the context of her new track. “I can never be the one to tell someone to burn it down and start over. They see the ash stains on my shirt and ask to borrow a match so they can play with it, save it for later, but sometimes it’s like ‘girl, the house is already on fire, you can’t stay in there’. This song is sort of a small prayer in lieu of words I can never seem to speak in those moments. Divorce your husband, start an onlyfans, borrow friend’s hormones, take them for fun, sell your stuff, buy rare beanie babies with the money, whatever you have to do. There is only so much time left.”
This quiet urgency permeates ‘Blow Up Yr Life (U Need To)’, which was written during a turbulent time when Keith was moving to Los Angeles. The song is accompanied by visuals that were created by Canadian artist Nik Arthur. They follow the movement of evaporating water droplets, which beautifully compliment the rippling, shimmering quality of Keith’s composition.
Listen below ‘Blow Up Yr Life (U Need To)’ below.
Follow Nina Keith on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter & Instagram
Photo Credit: Mad Bishop
Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut
Get In Her Ears 