Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Joyna
I am Joyna, an independent artist based in Switzerland. My project is a blend of French Pop that explores the delicate balance between vulnerability and strength. Essentially, I translate the emotions we often keep to ourselves into melodies.
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
Music has been my language since I learned to speak. My earliest memory is from when I was just 3 years old in nursery school. We were preparing a Christmas carol for the end-of-year show. When the teacher heard me sing for the first time, she completely changed the plan: she decided I would sing solo, while the other children did mimes behind me to accompany my voice. Standing there at 3 years old, performing my first solo in front of all the parents… that was the moment everything started.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
It started very early and very simply. As a child, I used to lock myself in the bathroom for hours because I loved the natural echo there; it was my first “studio.” I would spend my time inventing my own melodies and lyrics. Growing up, I lived for those end-of-year shows, and whenever someone asked what I wanted to be, I’d answer “a star.” I grew up watching Star Academy, dreaming of the stage. But that childhood passion turned into a real artistic necessity when I realized I could use my music to transform my own life experiences into something meaningful.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
My current project, Joyna, is like a public version of my private diary. It’s an exploration of heartbreak, doubt, and the quiet moments of waiting. After releasing my single “Douleur de l’ombre,” I’m now building a 5-track EP that follows a journey of healing and reconstruction.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
I call it “Nostalgic French Pop.” I love contrasts: deep, sincere lyrics carried by airy, cinematic melodies. It’s like the atmosphere of a train station at night—melancholic and lonely, yet filled with the hope of a new departure.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
I’ve learned that perfection is the enemy of emotion. In the studio, I’ve started prioritizing the “purest” take over the “cleanest” one. If a crack in my voice tells the story better, we keep it.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
Everything starts very simply: my voice and a piano, recorded on my laptop. That’s the demo — raw, unfiltered, just the melody and the words finding each other. From there, Gregory takes that skeleton into the studio and builds the world around it. We don’t add production to make it bigger. We add it to make it truer — the right texture, the right atmosphere, the right amount of space so the sound serves the emotion, the story and the feeling behind the words.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
Right now, I’m deeply inspired by Yoa and Hoshi. I love their raw honesty and the modern way they approach French Pop. There is a certain boldness in their music that I find very empowering for my own journey.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
My musical identity is a blend of my own history and the treasures I discovered as a child. When I was 4 or 5, I saw a TV commercial for a Dalida compilation between two cartoons. I begged for a CD player and that specific album for my birthday—it was my very first CD. Later, I started digging through my father’s collection and fell in love with Queen. That mix of Dalida’s raw emotion and Queen’s vocal power is what shaped the “Nostalgic Pop” I create today.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
I don’t write to comfort. I write to be honest. If someone listens to “Douleur de l’ombre” at 2am and thinks “she found the words I couldn’t” — that’s enough. I’m not trying to heal anyone. I’m just refusing to pretend these feelings don’t exist.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
Patience. Building an independent project takes time and a solid team. You have to trust the process and stay true to your identity, even when the road seems long.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
Having started with a solo at age 3, my dream has always been the stage. In Switzerland, performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival or Paléo would be a full-circle moment. I want to bring that same little girl’s courage to these legendary stages, but this time with my own stories.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
My heart is split between the legends and the modern scene. If I could travel back in time, collaborating with Freddie Mercury (Queen) would be the ultimate dream—his energy and vocal range are unmatched. I also carry the heritage of French legends like Daniel Balavoine and Dalida in my heart. In the present, a collaboration with Hoshi would be incredible; I admire her authenticity and raw power.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music?(Website,Spotify, IG, links)
You can find me on Spotify and all streaming platforms under Joyna. Follow my journey on Instagram and TikTok (@JoynaMusic) where I share the stories behind the songs and behind-the-scenes glimpses of my recording sessions….
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
The next chapter is all about the stage. I’m releasing my EP track by track this year, but the ultimate dream is to translate this studio energy into a live show. I want to meet the people who connect with my lyrics and build a real community.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
I hope they discover that behind the “Joy” is a woman who isn’t afraid to show her shadows. I want them to see the evolution of an artist who is learning to turn her silence into a song.
