Our next featured guest is a brilliant Russian-born singer, songwriter, philanthropist, and journalist. Noted for capturing the attention of audiences around the world with stellar storytelling and magnificent artistic integrity, her current single “American Beauty” is awe-inspiring in its vocal delivery, promotional presentation, and the emotional resonance of its video.
Along with music industry success, she and her husband are actively working for positive social change. Residing in Los Angeles, their endeavors include assisting low income college students and donating hundreds-of-thousands to millions of dollars to convergent bioscience, human immunotherapy and vaccine research while also supporting causes like the Grammy Foundation’s MusicCares Covid-19 Relief Fund. She’s an awesome person.
Please welcome to THISENT.com … ALYA!
ALYA, we were blown away by the artwork for “American Beauty (Remixes)”! It’s so vibrant and museum ready. How did you respond to it?
Thank you so much for your kind words!
The artwork was made in collaboration with a female collage artist from Russia, Nastya Romanova. I found her through Instagram and liked her style; she liked my music, so we had a lot of fun working together.
My idea was to create a collage based on the virtual exhibit “The Beauty of Seven Continents” that I made together with the song release.
It is a series of images created in the technic when you paint over the photo. This is something that was brought to life with the “museum” in mind. You can check it out at alyaofficial.com.
Speaking of vibrant, do you have a thing for natural light? We couldn’t help but notice it used consistently in your photos.
I work closely with a very talented immigrant photographer Irina Logra which shares my passion for mixing different art forms. We think that there is nothing is more beautiful than natural appearance. We try to embrace it.
The video for “American Beauty” goes right for the heart part. There’s so much emotional resonance. What was it like on set while crafting such a massive visual story?
It was a big and very chaotic behind the scenes project with several shooting days. The significant part about it was that we intentionally cast actors that can relate to the story, which are immigrants ourselves. It was all real and genuine.
When I started as an artist, I wanted to carry a message right out of the gate; I wanted to tell stories about people like me. First was my realization of myself as an artist and then as a woman immigrant. You can see this evolution in my work. My latest single, “American Beauty,” together with the music video and online exhibit, is a meaningful part of the big puzzle.
We can talk about how it feels to hear “American Beauty”, but what does it feel like to sing it?
It brings me joy. The sole realization that people hear me as an artist is priceless. When you change your home country, you literally and metaphorically lose your voice. So, here I am, not just owning my voice but also heard. It means so much to me.
Knowing that you love art, please tell a brief story about a piece of art that made you cry. Like, little kid who heard a disappointing “No” type of cry.
Edward Munch’s The Scream. I made a dozen variations of it in my teen years. There is something about the sky in this fascinating work.
The work you do to help others is fascinating. It’s really cool that you’ve extended your hand to help students during these trying times. Did you ever have someone help you like that as a student?
I [grew] up in the Soviets and then Russia, and my experience was quite different from [Americans]. It was a challenging time; I worked through college to pay my bills, and sometimes I wish someone would help, but I was raised with the model of life when you are the only person to help yourself. There will be no help from outside, I was taught. Being on the other side of this story is so rewarding, almost like to find out that Santa actually exists.
COVID-19 has made it difficult to fully engage people in need. What frightens you the most about the virus?
Mental health issues and that some people actually trust politicians and influencers more than the professionals and scientists.
This is a dead-end situation.
What to you is the ultimate symbol of beauty – American or otherwise?
Being kind.
ALYA, share some more of that beauty with us. Tell us about a time when you did something nice for someone you didn’t know just out of the kindness of your heart.
Sponsored a girl from one of the Foundations that are outside of our Family Philanthropy. She will receive monthly support and complete her education. |THIS.
[By Mr. Joe Walker]
