top of page

Interview with Nautics

Updated: Oct 20, 2020


We interviewed The Nautics, an alternative band out of New York City. This four person band consists of Kenzo (vocals and guitar), Amir (keys), Levitt (drums), and Van (bass). They had recently come out with a new single ‘Thoughts On The Ceiling’ and all proceeds gained from their single are being donated to Food Bank For New York. Other than asking about their single, we also learned about pre-show rituals and their desired collaborations!

 Stream ‘Thoughts On The Ceiling’!



Strwbry Jean Zine: How did you guys first meet?


Amir: When we were fifteen or fourteen, we were part of this Replay Music Studios program and so I met Levitt and Van there. We played in a band. Then,Van went to high school with this guy called Kenzo who’s a great singer and a lovely person.

Then they kind of did their own thing without me which was very hurtful but I joined the band in 2016. So, we met through that program but we've been friends since 2016. 


Strwbry Jean Zine: Do you guys have a main songwriter?


Levitt: We all collaborate, definitely, but Kenzo and Van usually sit down at first and come up with the ideas and show it to me and Amir. Or we all are in a room and we write it. It depends on either the specific album or the song that is being made. 


Kenzo: I’d say that’s a good diplomatic answer.


Strwbry Jean Zine: If you could collaborate with another artist, who would it be?


Kenzo: I don't know what Levitt and Amir would personally say but,I think maybe some pop artist. I really like Dua Lipa. 


Amir: Dua Lipa’s a good answer. That’s a good one.


Kenzo: I think that's probably our best answer right now. I'm thinking of some cool pop artists. Maybe Charlie XCX. Just to have a feature on one of their songs would be cool 


Kenzo: I think we like to resonate with pop music in some way. I'm sure there is someone else [i’d want to collaborate with]. I’m just completely blanking right now. 


Strwbry Jean Zine: What’s your favorite song you’ve made?


Kenzo: Oh God. Amir, what's our favorite song we’ve made.


Amir: Our most recent release ‘Thoughts On The Ceiling’.


Kenzo: Yeah. That’s a good song.


Amir: Yeah. It’s a good song. 


Strwbry Jean Zine: It’s just a bop.


Kenzo: It is a bop! I feel like Van started that one out and it kind of morphed into something I like. It feels a little different from everything else we’ve made. Slightly.


Strwbry Jean Zine: What made you choose Food Bank For New York to donate the proceeds from your latest single, ‘Thoughts On The Ceiling’ to?


Levitt: Well I was looking through different charities we could donate to. Their mission really resonated with me upon looking at the other ones. Since New york City as a whole has given so much to us,this was something we could give back to the city and its people. So, I was like “Yeah! Let’s do that one!” and that’s how the decision process went about. 


Kenzo: Yeah. I think of, also, our direction towards that, at least at the time, because we did it a couple weeks ago and a lot of stuff socially, economically have erupted since then, obviously. And I think we all do our part separately. We try to be aware and donate to different groups. I know that we’ve all donated to different causes but I think just in terms of dealing with COVID-19,dealing with the health system, and dealing with those who are generally less fortunate in New York City, which we grew up in and owe a lot to. I think it was the least we could do, and it would affect a group that needed help with everything going on, health wise. 


Strwbry Jean Zine: Who is talking at the beginning of ‘Thoughts On The Ceiling’?


Kenzo: Who is talking at the beginning?


Amir: Kenzo, you’re talking!


Levitt: I think it’s you! [Kenzo]


Kenzo: Am I talking?


Levitt: Yeah!


Kenzo: I think it’s me. So, in a lot of our songs, we end up doing talking segments but, we end up cutting most of them out. This one was made by us. The band produced it, and we sort of just left it in. I think we like to show some of ourselves just existing. Even if it’s such a manufactured pop song that sounds repetitive, we wanted to add some level of this-was-made-by-a-human-being. So, that’s also Van’s fault that it’s still in there, technically.


Strwbry Jean Zine: So, what’s the meaning behind ‘Thoughts On The Ceiling’?


Amir: Kenzo. . . 


Kenzo: Oh God, that’s my answer. I don't know, what do you think it means? Haha Asks Kenzo to the Audience! I think ‘Thoughts On The Ceiling’ is about. Well, that phrase came to me. . . 


Van: Came to you?


Kenzo: Yeah! You did not come up with that. You did not come up with ‘Thoughts On The Ceiling’.


Van: I 100% did!


Kenzo: I have it written in a book that no one else saw. Then, I sent it to you. 


Strwbry Jean Zine: No, I have it written in a book!


Kenzo: Okay, Okay, that’s fine. Alright so, It came to Van and I think that. . . Okay, Van why don't you answer the question and tell us what it means! What does it mean?


Van: ‘Thoughts On The Ceiling’ is about. . . 


Kenzo: I know exactly why I chose it.


Van: We were in the same room when we came up with it.


Kenzo: I know that we did! What’s the reasoning then? Sorry you have to see this. Oh by the way, I want you to put all of this down, don’t cut this out. Everyone can see us arguing because we can’t remember. Van always thinks he does it, but I always think that I do it. 


Van: alright. So, I was just mumbling words then, ‘Thoughts On The Ceiling’ came up. Then, Kenzo, mostly Kenzo gave it meaning  in that ‘Thoughts On the Ceiling’ means that someone’s looking up at the ceiling while you’re talking to them, and you’re waiting for what they think about what you’re saying. 


Kenzo: That’s a good answer, man. I’ll allow Van’s answer. He came up with it I guess. 


Strwbry Jean Zine: I like that concept though. 


Kenzo: Thank you, I appreciate it. 


Strwbry Jean Zine: Who designed the cover for ‘Thoughts On The Ceiling’?


Kenzo: That’ll be me. The cover was the last thing to be done. The song had been done and we were waiting to release it. I was painting the cover, and I usually do those pretty quickly. This was one of the first times where I didn't really send a sketch to the band. Usually I do that to confirm something. But I just made something so quickly and I was like “How about we do this?” and everyone said “aight since it fits the vibe’”. I always hand paint all the covers. 


Strwbry Jean Zine: How has your band reacted to COVID and how are you staying connected?


Kenzo: We stay connected through zoom. I think we haven't changed drastically because we do go to different schools and work in different areas and exist in different places. So, we haven't been drastically affected except for the amount of shows we play. Even that, I think we are pretty selective about shows, generally. It hasn't been ridiculous for what we do, which is release music online and play occasionally. It's definitely been a little strange not being able to play at all or even practice in a room. Being able to play in a room and make music together is something that I personally miss in the creative process 


Amir: We’ve gotten really good at making music apart though.


Kenzo: Yeah, definitely. We’ve been sending each other files. The other day Amir sent me two other ideas. We always send things back and forth. So, we are always sending each other concepts or ideas for songs. So , yeah I don't think things have changed very much logistically for us. 


Strwbry Jean Zine: How has your sound changed from when it started to now?


Kenzo: That’s a doozy! Thats a big one. 


Levitt: In the beginning, for me, I'm going to throw myself under the bus here, I'm a pretty amature drummer. I'm still not even that good. From the beginning, we were making mostly rock music. Then we developed into that river dog phase where it was continuously rock music. Then we transitioned to pop. I don't really think of genres and the definition of a genre that much. As it evolved, we have always been finding our sound. Especially since the beginning. We started with a stomp clap which was just a kick drum and a snare drum. Then it evolved into using more of our instruments and such.,


Kenzo: I think we became influenced more by either pop music or very strange alternative music. We started off as a basic indie-rock band. I’m sure to many people, we still are. I think, at least, in the creative sense, we go about making our music in a much more mainstream oriented and somehow experimental way. Even if it doesn’t show in the final product, all the time, we definitely are always thinking about contemporary music and what’s popular right now.We admire a lot of that stuff. That’s why I said I’d want to work with Dua Lipa. I do think Van is our music guru. He has influenced a lot of our stranger sounds to whatever we do. 


Strwbry Jean Zine: What does the future hold for the Nautics?


Kenzo: Oh boy! Hopefully going outside, one day! I think we want to continue making music. We always talk about what we want to do in the future and somehow we never find an answer! I think generally we want to make music together as long as we can, because we are a little family. I think we do genuinely love making art together, even if no one else wants to hear that art. I think we are at least going to continue making music, Hopefully, whatever the landscape of music is, I think we want to be able to perform shows whether it's online or somewhere else. I think we want to, at least, make music and make music for an audience. If that's not too vague and the whole band agrees. 


Strwbry Jean Zine: Have you ever dealt with performance anxiety?


Amir: We have been playing together for a long time. At this point when we get on stage, we don't even practice before shows, which is a little problematic  but, we just show up and know the cues. Everyone knows the songs inside and out. I don't think that’s where the anxiety comes from. There’s a lot of anxiety before but as soon as we get on stage, we play the first chord and it’s just a lot of fun from there. 


Kenzo: Yeah, we are really good with each other. Good is an opinion but I will say we are very symbiotic. I think we are pretty tight as a group because we know what we do. We look at each other while playing, and sometimes  we look at each other too much. It gets really annoying. I personally get really anxious before every show and I hate talking to people before shows. I always tell people that I'm not a person before any show and I'm probably not going to be a person after. The only time I'm actually going to be a person is when I'm on stage or the days before and after a show. I'm definitely a bit of a diva in that regard. The most anxious we’ve all been as a group was probably our first show. Amir wasn't there, but the shows Amir was at, when we played at Webster Hall. I think we were definitely shit-your-pants-nervous. We were like “ oh my god we are going to be so awful! There are going to be so many people!” Then there was just a normal amount of people. That's probably the most nervous I ever was, ever. 


Levitt: For me, once Van and I started adapting to drinking milk on stage, was when I realized that I was just fearless. I was not afraid of anything on stage.  


Strwbry Jean Zine: Why milk?


Levitt: Good question. 


Kenzo: It’s a joke that has so many layers. It’s so annoying but I'll explain it because the two of them [Levitt and Van] don't know what it means. It’s because you're not supposed to have dairy before you sing. They would always pressure me to drink milk as an anti- joke type thing. It just developed into this bit where the two of them tried to drink milk before a show and I think one time they actually did get milk. 


Van: Multiple times!


Kenzo: Okay, there were a lot of times. 


Van: It's so gross I hate milk so much!


Kenzo: Yeah, they hate milk and I don’t understand. They did it as a joke but I guess it means they’re confident on stage. So, whatever gets the work done. 


Levitt: That’s my confidence boost. 


Strwbry Jean Zine: Drink the whole galon next time. 


Kenzo: The vegan community will be all over them im sure. 


Van: I’m anti- milk! 


Kenzo: I don’t know why you drink it for shows then. 


Strwbry Jean Zine: Milk is kind of gross to me. It’s just thick.


Kenzo: Yeah, it's thick.


Van: We could switch to oat milk! Or chocolate milk


Levitt: That would be controversial. 


Kenzo: Chocolate is just a different flavor! 


Van: Or almond milk?


Kenzo: Also, almond milk is also bad for consumption purposes.


Van: almond milk is gross!


Amir: Well, you shouldn’t drink any before you sing 


Kenzo: You know what’s also good? Water. 


Van: Okay, Dad!


Kenzo: This is really divulging into something. Which part of this is going to get published? 


Strwbry Jean Zine: everything!


Kenzo: If the milk part is in the interview it’s it. The Nautics? Over. #Nauticsarecancelled


Amir: Nautics are over. 


Kenzo: Yeah, #Nauticsareoverparty. It’s going to trend on twitter. 

So, is there anything else you want to know while you have us? 


Amir: You know too much, probably. 


Strwbry Jean Zine: we don't want to know anymore. The Nautics are cancelled overall. 


Levitt: That’s the best answer. 


Kenzo: It’s fine we are already aware. 



Stream their new single, ‘Thoughts On The Ceiling’. All proceeds go to the food bank for New York! 

‘Thoughts On The Ceiling’ along with their other albums and EPs are available on Spotify and Apple Music. 

Social Media Handles:


Instagram: @official_nautics

Facebook: @nauticalmyson




42 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All
bottom of page