EXZENYA

Q What inspired you to take the phrase “that’s the story of my life” and turn it into something empowering instead of ironic?
I don’t really look at phrases like that as throwaway comments. I tend to analyze words and patterns, and that phrase carries a lot more weight than people give it. It’s not just something you say when something goes wrong — it actually reflects patterns in behavior, choices, and outcomes over time.
So instead of brushing it off, I leaned into it. It became more about recognizing those patterns and accepting them as part of a story rather than a dismissive comment.

Q When writing this song, did you start from personal experiences or from the message you wanted to share?
The words came first, like they usually do for me. But they didn’t come from one specific moment — they came from looking at patterns over time. Things we go through, how we react, how we carry things, how we move forward.
So, it wasn’t one experience — it was more of an accumulation of many.

Q You openly explore both your strengths and your flaws in the lyrics, was it difficult to be that honest?
No, not in the writing itself. I’ve always been very analytical, especially with myself. So, it’s natural for me to look at both sides.
We’re not just one thing — we’re not just strong or just weak. We’re all of it at different times. The song just reflects that.

Q How important was it for you to show both pain and glory as equally valuable parts of your story?
It’s necessary. You don’t get one without the other.
The parts we struggle with are usually the parts that shape everything else. So, leaving those out wouldn’t make sense. It wouldn’t be an honest life story.

Q There is a strong sense of self-acceptance in the song, did that come naturally or was it something you had to work through?
That’s something I’ve had to work through, and I’m still working through it.
It’s not like I had reached a point and was done. It’s something we all keep coming back to — learning to let go of things you can’t change and not staying stuck in them.

Q The lyrics balance opposites like weakness and strength, how do those contrasts reflect your real life?
That’s just real life.
There are times we’re strong, and there are times we’re not. There are times we handle things well, and times when we don’t. That doesn’t cancel anything out — it’s just part of being human.

Q Did you always know this song would be the closing track of your album?
Yes. This one looks at everything from a step back. It’s not in the middle of the experience — it’s reflecting on it.
So it naturally fits at the end.

Q How does this song connect with the rest of the album in terms of storytelling and themes?
The album moves through different phases — attraction, connection, conflict, confusion, emotional shifts.
This song takes all of that and looks at it as a whole. It’s like stepping out of the moment and seeing the full picture.

Q There are moments in the lyrics that feel very raw but also hopeful, how did you find that balance?
That balance already exists. Even in difficult moments, there’s always something else there — whether it’s growth, understanding, or just getting through it.
I didn’t try to create that balance — I just didn’t remove either side of it.

Q When you talk about difficult experiences, what made you decide to focus on resilience rather than staying in the pain?
Because staying in the pain doesn’t change anything, it doesn’t help anything, it just keeps us stuck.
We can acknowledge it, we can learn from it, but at some point we have to become untuck and move forward. That’s where resilience comes in.

Q The phoenix-like idea of rising again is very present, what does that symbol mean to you personally?
It’s about change. Not just going through something but becoming something different because of it.
One of my previous management staff and good friend, used to call me her “phoenix” because she said “that no matter what life throws at you, you resurrect what most could not, you go forward when most would crumble, and you come back stronger each time”. So, that specific phrase is a tribute to my dear friend.

Q How much of this song feels like a personal diary versus a message for listeners?
It starts as internal reflection, but it’s written in a way where other people can recognize themselves in it.
So it ends up being both.

Q Did you write the lyrics with a specific audience in mind or more as a reflection for yourself?
It starts with me, but it’s not limited to me.
The goal is that other people hear it and see parts of their own story in it.

Q The song feels very motivational at times, was that intention there from the beginning?
Yes that was intentionally created as part of the nuanced reflection. It comes from the process of reflection and acceptance. When it gets to that point, it naturally shifts into something more forward-moving.

Q How do you want listeners to feel after hearing this song for the first time?
I want them to feel a little less stuck in whatever they’ve been holding onto and to look back on all the parts of their life with acceptance and reflection as opposed to wishing they could change those parts about their selves and their pasts that are painful or that hold them back.

Q There are small details in the lyrics that reveal deeper meanings, do you enjoy adding those layers for attentive listeners?
Yes. I’ve always liked wordplay and layered meaning.
There’s always more in there than what’s heard the first time.

Q How important is replay value to you when writing lyrics like these?
Very important.
You don’t catch everything in one listen, and you’re not supposed to. It should reveal more over time.
There are other little tidbits, such as, the word Abades is used. Without looking it up, most would not know what that word means. Abades is an island that used to be used as a colony for leprosy. The word play is intention to reflect paid and suffering.

Q The language in the song is simple but powerful, do you consciously aim for that kind of clarity?
Yes. I want it to be understood but still have depth behind it.

Q Was there a specific line or idea in the song that took longer to get right than the others?
The lyrics came fairly naturally. The harder part was getting the music to match what the song needed.

Q How do you personally define growth after everything you express in this track?
Growth is being able to look at things honestly, accept them, and keep moving forward.

Q The song encourages people to take control of their lives, is that a belief that has shaped your own journey?
Yes. We can’t control everything, but we can control how you move forward. We can’t control the outcome, but we can control how we respond to it and allow it to become part of who we are.

Q Did writing this song change the way you see your past experiences?
Like most people, I do have a tendency to ruminate on things that are painful or uncomfortable. There are moments where I’ve thought, what if I could go back and change this or rewrite that part of my story?
But when I really sit with it, I know that’s not something I would actually want. Because if those things changed, I wouldn’t be who I am today. I wouldn’t be where I am, personally or professionally.
Accepting my full story — all of it — is really a reflection of overcoming adversity. It’s part of what shaped my growth.
So this song didn’t necessarily change how I see my past, but it reinforced something important for me. It’s a reminder to let those things stay where they belong — in the past. Not to sit in them or overanalyze them, but to move forward.
And sometimes, even learn to laugh at them a little… knowing who I am now and everything I’ve accomplished up to this point.

Q How do you deal with negative thoughts or setbacks in your own life today?
I still have them. I don’t think that ever fully goes away.
My mind is very active, so it’s easy for me to go back over things, replay them, analyze them, and sometimes overanalyze them. That can turn into stress or anxiety if I let it sit too long.
What I’ve learned, and what I’m still working on, is not staying there.
I’ll acknowledge it, I’ll look at it, I’ll take whatever lesson is there, but I don’t let it take over everything. At some point, I have to redirect myself forward.
It’s not about ignoring what happened. It’s about not living in it.
And sometimes, honestly, it’s about stepping back and realizing that moment doesn’t define everything. It’s just one part of a much bigger story.

Q What does it mean to you to fully “own your story” without apology?
Owning your story means accepting all of it — not just the parts that look good or sound good, but the parts that are uncomfortable too.
It means not trying to rewrite it, not trying to hide it, and not judging yourself for it over and over again.
We all make decisions, we all go through things, and not all of them are going to be what we would choose if we had perfect hindsight. But that doesn’t take away from who we are now.
For me, owning my story is recognizing that everything I’ve experienced — the good, the bad, the things I’m proud of and the things I’m not — all of it contributed to who I’ve become.
And there’s no reason to apologize for growth.

Q Looking back at the full album, does this song feel like a conclusion or more like a new beginning for you?
It closes out a cycle, but it doesn’t end anything. It’s more like stepping back and seeing everything that’s happened, recognizing it, and then continuing forward with that awareness.
The album moves through a lot of different emotional phases — connection, confusion, pain, reflection — and this song brings all of that together. It doesn’t tie it up in a perfect resolution, because life doesn’t work that way.
There isn’t really an ending. There’s just progression.
So it feels like a closing point for that chapter, but at the same time, it opens the door for whatever comes next.