NAY NAY broke through to the mainstream with her title song for the Melody World singing contest. Timeout spoke with her about her latest album, her sister and singing as a career.

Did you sing much before creating the Melody World title song?

Yes, I sang with my three sisters at City FM on a program created for up and coming singers. I also sang and did drama through the American Center.

How did you come to sing the title song for Melody World?

One of my friends had a plan to create an album featuring new singers, including me and herself. So my friend asked Myint Moe Aung (a composer) to write some songs for us and also to check our voices. So I knew Myint Moe Aung through that album.

He told me about a song competition program that would screen on MWD television. Since I couldn’t participate in the competition because there is a rule that anyone who has recorded an album can’t join, he urged me to sing the title song for the program.

How did you get involved in the album “Lan Sone” (Intersection)?

Myint Moe Aung knows the producer of ‘Lan Sone’. He introduced me and my sister Chan Chan [who won the second prize in the Melody World contest] to him and gave a few sample songs to see if he would like to use us or not.

The song features lyrics such as “I’m just a toy for you...sometimes I’m just an entertainer for you.” Are these lyrics born of real experiences?

Yes, I felt those feelings before because I had a broken heart. But now I have overcome that.

You released the album “Ah Nar Gat Lay Myar” (Futures) in collaboration with your friends. How do you find achieving success when there are so many new singers around?

Nowadays, many singers are releasing albums so it is a bit difficult to breakthrough.

You also sing New Age style songs with your sister Chan Chan. How interested are you in this style?

We do not have the New Age style in Myanmar yet, so Myint Moe Aung told me and my sister to sing in that styles. I never knew that style…I am excited to do something new.

Your voice is very similar to that of your sister Chan Chan. Do you do anything to make them more distinctive from each other?

Yes, we do have similar voices but I’m not trying to achieve a different tone for my voice.

Chan Chan is singing and modelling as well. How about you, are you interested in modelling?

If anybody asked me to do it as a favour then I surely would but it’s not something I’m interested in doing as a career.

Nowadays, many girls are singing together and creating groups. How about you and your sister, do you have any plans to form a group?

Uhmm…it will be difficult to do it now because Chan Chan already has her own fans. But we are still planning on singing some songs together.

How is singing alone different compared to singing with your sister?

I’m happy to sing with my sister because I do not have to hesitate to ask whatever I need to ask, what I feel and how I would like to sing. I mean, we can discuss how we would like to sing frankly. When I sing alone, I can sing how I want to sing.

I’ve heard that you have three sisters. Apart from Chan Chan are the others interested in singing too?

They would also sing with us since we were young both at City FM and at church. We always sing together and record at home. After we have recorded we always try to find a producer to listen to our songs. But only I and my younger sister Chan Chan have taken it on as a career.