A Quick Chat with Navisha
A Quick Chat with Navisha
Navisha turns up the heat with You, a groove-soaked soul funk release that leans into desire, young love and late-night chemistry. The 19-year-old WAAPA graduate has built a name for herself by balancing heartbreak ballads with feel-good rhythms, and here she fully shifts into funk territory, letting electric guitars, lush keys and a steady pulse carry the mood. Anchored by her velvety, smoky vocal, You captures the all-consuming rush of first love, carefree, immersive and impossible to shake. We caught up with Navisha to talk about the single, the story behind it and what’s next.
Can you tell us what this track means to you and what you want people to take away from it?
‘You’ is about the early stages of falling in love, and how the rose-coloured glasses make you blind to anything else happening around you. I wanted the fun, light-hearted energy of finding yourself as a teenager in love. Carefree with only one thing on my mind, the energy of the song plays on that exact sentiment, forgetting about everything else and just being immersed in the moment, and just DANCE or GROOVE, or whatever makes your body feel good. The goal was to create a song that you can’t get out of your head, the same way you can’t get that person off your mind when you’re in love.
Who are some of your influences, and why?
Beyoncé, Doechii, Sade, Raye, Amy Winehouse — it’s impossible to narrow down to a select few, but the authenticity along with the funk, soul and RnB feel of these women are what inspire me as an artist and songwriter. I believe all these women have a presence, studio and stage, so dynamic yet unique, which allows you to connect to them in a way that only music can allow.
As a songwriter, my artistic inspirations also align but 60s and 70s funk and disco I take a lot of inspiration from. Take James Brown, Michael Jackson or Stevie Wonder for example — the more you listen to my work, you’ll definitely find a feel for these guys in my songs, especially in terms of its rhythm and production.
What’s the creative process for you, from writing through to recording?
I want to write music that either makes you feel seen, or absolutely forget about your troubles. The beautiful thing about songwriting is that you create from the abyss, and whatever comes out is truly yours. You’ll find in my upcoming work that I love a groovy tune along with a vulnerable ballad, so what I write really just depends on what resonates with me when I’m writing a song. I want it to be something that others can relate to and convey an emotion that is oh so familiar to anyone who listens. As a vocalist, I always want to write melodies that demonstrate not only my ability but versatility as well, as I feel using one’s range vocally is what allows the depiction of emotion most effectively.
In terms of recording, I believe it is integral to stay true to your vision and find the people who know how to support your vision. I have the privilege of working with the best, whether that be my live band or engineers. It’s obvious in their performance, which you will hear on the track, that not only do they understand my vision, they enhance it. Watching a song you’ve written come to life in the recording room happens to be one of the most satisfying feelings on earth, and directing that process is one of my biggest joys in life. Feeling the vulnerability and emotions come out of something that just started with my vision and having such incredibly talented people help me bring it to life is such a privilege. I’m meticulous with my vocal production with my vocal stacks, as I feel the ‘bigger’ the song feels, the better.
What do you think makes a great song?
I think there are two main things that make a great song.
Firstly, honesty and vulnerability in one’s lyricism. As I mentioned before, making people feel seen is one of the two ways to allow connection. Songs often explore themes that are confronting, therefore exploring those themes in a medium outside of everyday life provides comfort to the listener. It helps them feel seen.
Secondly, a groove so good that no one knows what you’re saying, but they still love it, and still when they actually pay attention. Essentially, music that makes you want to move or sing along. Music that communicates not only with lyrics but also with its composition. Since I was a kid, my dad has been relentlessly emphasising this, and as I’ve honed in on my songwriting I realise that he completely hit the nail on the head. I think that this drive to reach my audience with the composition of my song and tell a story through the music alone completely aligns with my songwriting philosophy and is the reason why I’m so excited for ‘You’ to be heard. I’ve tried to combine what I consider a great tune with a level of vulnerability I hope everyone will be able to relate to.
If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?
In terms of collaborations, there’s a few major artists I would love to collaborate with.
Firstly, Doechii. I fell in love with her artistry in 2024, before she released her Grammy Award for ‘Alligator Bites Never Heal’. I love how authentic she is and how her mind works to allow that level of authenticity in a creative outlet. That is something I aspire to achieve, and would love to experience that process in person.
Another band I’d love to collab with is Infinity Song, as I love their soft rock sound whilst still being able to maintain soulful vocals. To me, they test the bounds of genre and how they remain uniform in their sound is something that intrigues me and would love to experience in a collaborative setting.
When not working on music, what other creative outlet/s do you have?
I think if you ask any musician this question they will say music is their whole life.
In terms of my separation, I do quite love human anatomy given it’s what I’m majoring in at university at the moment. Maintaining two vastly different careers keeps me grounded in terms of a music career since it isn’t a linear career path, although that does make my artistry all the more exciting.
Who are some local bands we should check out?
I am in love with the whole of the Western Australian live music scene and I’m so lucky to be a part of it. Solara, a funk band from Perth I truly love, has a really unique sound, insane stage presence and I have immense reverence for how dynamic the lead vocalist is. Another band is The Kickons, an indie alt rock band from Perth whose energy is just captivating, captured both in their live performances along with their recorded tracks.
Winter or summer and why?
I am a winter baby so it has a special place in my heart, but growing up in north west regional Australia, I love summer more than anything. No better feeling than feeling the scorching sun on your skin, almost like nature’s way of saying the holidays have come around. I think even when you just go outside everyone and everything feels more alive as well. It doesn’t get better than a WA summer.
What do you have planned for 2026?
Oh, you better be ready! I have a headline show on 21 February at the Indian Ocean Hotel in celebration of my latest single ‘You’. I’ve also just recorded my EP tracks this week, still finishing those up but it’s a body of work I feel so passionately about. I genuinely can’t wait to share that one with the world.