Interview | Questions & Answers With Sanya N’Kanta

Meet Sanya N’Kanta and his newest song in this exclusive interview. With “Can’t Stop Thinking Bout You”, the Jamaican artist displays his taste for a dynamic range of rhythms. Perhaps, you’ll notice his authentic sound is a  blend of Synth-Pop, Hip-Hop, Neo-Soul, and Rock. Best of all, its accompanying music video is out of this world! Visually, he takes you to a cosmic adventure set somewhere in the galaxy. In addition, he gives this tune a lot of emotion, yet its melody is upbeat and catchy. Learn more here!

1 – Who are your main songwriting influences?

My main songwriting influences are the everyday people and experiences around me. Some writers I admire are Bob Marley, Jeff Buckley, K’NAAN, Foster The People, Kendric Lamar, Black Star, and the War On Drugs. We are undoubtedly influenced by what we listen to, and these artists are on my playlist often, among others.

2 – How did the creative process work for “Can’t Stop Thinking Bout You”?

The creative process was much quicker than I usually take with a song. I started with the house beat and layered my guitars and bass. I did not write down lyrics to this song; I just hit record and started singing. I used my first take for the lead vocal and added the harmonies. The next morning I listened to what I created and liked where it was going, but it felt incomplete to me. If you listen to the entire album The Counterfeit Revival, you will understand that I usually put a lot more into my lyrics. I had to come to peace with the fact that it was so simple and that at its heart, it was a house music track where simplicity usually rules.

3 – What do you hope for listeners to take away from this new song?

I want the listener to catch a positive vibe and start dancing. It’s a feel-good track that hopefully makes the listener think about that person in their life that they would give anything for and to.

4 – What do you think is the difference between a good tune vs a great one?

In my opinion, a great tune makes you walk in the shoes of the writer. I love it when a song can make you immediately take on its meaning as it pertains to your own life. It becomes significant because it expresses something you already feel inside.

A good tune for me is a more visceral one. Sometimes you don’t even need to understand the meaning of a song. It could just be the beat or an amazing melody that makes you sing along, even though you don’t know the words.

5 – How would you celebrate if “Can’t Stop Thinking Bout You” reaches the top charts?

Honestly, I can’t imagine that. First, I would laugh long and hard at myself because the song almost didn’t make the album. The simplicity of lyrics and the repetitive nature of the song put it in the b-side category for me. So if that happened, I would really need to reevaluate how I obsess during the songwriting and production process.

6 – Where did the inspiration come from for the space-based music video?

It was the director John Isberg’s idea to involve space-based visuals. I didn’t quite know where he was going with it until he sent the first few versions over. He’s a great artist and musician himself, so I just had to trust his process.

7 – How many people were involved in this visual project? Was it a fun experience?

The director John Isberg and a small team of 6 from Suede Films were the only ones involved with the project. It was a great experience and a lot of fun. It was an excellent first video for me to get my feet wet, and I’m looking forward to working on more visuals with his team.

8 – Do you consider your music as an atomic fusion of different styles? Why?

I do consider my music a fusion of different styles. I can see the beauty in most genres of music, and I don’t like boxing myself into a genre when writing or producing. It is counterproductive for me to think that way about art. Instead, I focus on what I am trying to convey to the audience.

9 – What will be the first thing you’ll do after quarantine?

I miss the ocean. I’ll be taking a trip home to Jamaica with my family as soon as I can.

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