The lights are dim at Berlin NYC as four musicians set up for their concert. Even though they aren’t members of a band, Yas Akdag, Ruby Alexander, Ava Ashlynn and Maggie Bishop greet each other with a sense of camaraderie.
Bishop — also known by her stage name as Macinizby — plays a solo acoustic set, but she’s also an active drummer in the local rock scene. Ashlynn, from Austin, Texas, grew up playing the guitar, ukulele and classical piano. Today, her artistry leans into dreamy indie-folk.
Alexander is a folk soul artist from Sydney, Australia with a background in classical flamenco guitar. Her music is centered around evocative, ambiguous lyrics and intricate guitar plucks. Akdag is an indie-pop musician hailing from London, born to Turkish and French parents and currently based in New York. She describes herself as a “third-culture kid,” which makes her emphasize a sense of universal storytelling.
The four musicians sat down with WSN to talk about studying at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, as well as their experience releasing music.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
WSN: Can you tell us a bit about how your time at NYU shaped and influenced you and your music?
Bishop: It can be a little nerve-wracking, a little imposter syndrome-y when you first get here, but I think it just makes you think more deeply about what you’re making and what you have to say and how you say it. Being exposed to so many different kinds of music and styles of writing was really good for me.
Ashlynn: I think at first when I came, I didn’t really know what my sound would be like … it took so long for me to finish [my EP] because I was experimenting with a lot of different producers and trying on different vibes. But it’s been so valuable because when I went to high school, I was the one music kid, you know? And then when I got here, everyone was duplicates of a music kid, just like me.
WSN: Yas and Maggie, as recent graduates from Clive Davis, what has it been like pursuing music post-graduation?
Akdag: It’s kind of weird — it’s good and bad. Part of it is just post-grad [where] you had a lot of structure in school, and then you sort of have to figure out, ‘Okay, what am I planning for myself?’ But there’s also the sense of freedom — I don’t have to worry about homework or anything and can pursue these projects that interest me.
Bishop: It’s cool. Obviously, I do have to have a day job. I teach music in elementary schools, so I’m sort of doing a little bit of music in that as well. I try to spend a lot of my time playing gigs and staying involved in the community, and it’s been good. It feels fulfilling, even if it’s not my full-time thing, I feel like I’m making strides every day.
WSN: There’s a lot of aspiring musicians in college right now who want to put out their music. Do you have any advice for them?
Ashlynn: Don’t let other people’s timelines stress you out or make you feel less than or that you’re falling behind, because you will come at the right time. I guess that sounds cheesy, but when I first started out, I was super stressed out at looking at people who were playing shows sooner than I was or releasing music earlier than I was, and I think focusing on yourself and trusting your timeline is the best thing to think about.
Alexander: My advice is — you know when it feels right. You might not feel ready, but you know that the music is right. And I think that it’s important to just put your first release out as soon as you’re able to without wondering if it’s perfect, because perfect isn’t what to strive for. And once you’ve put out the first project — whether it’s a song, EP or album — it just fuels the momentum to keep creating.
Akdag: The music industry wouldn’t be what it is without community. It takes so many people to truly make a song, especially in the pop world. Having people that you resonate with is so important.
Contact Brishti Sarkar at [email protected].
