Music That Opens Doors: An Interview with Stacy Trotskaya

      Singer, vocal coach and fashion designer Stacy Trotskaya is an artist for whom the boundaries of genres and forms don't matter. Her story is full of bold decisions, romance and inner freedom, and she herself is an example of how to turn personal experiences into art and inspire others.

      — How did you get into music?

      — This is my favorite story. I was five years old; we lived with my parents in an apartment in an old building with high ceilings. There was a black cast-iron piano with openings for candelabra. I loved picking out melodies on it that I heard in the drafts from the old windows. One day my mother gave me a little golden box with three chandelier crystals. I held one up to the window—and the whole room filled with little sunbeams. In that moment I understood that I would spend my life "scattering light" with my music.

      — What did you dream of as a child, and did it come true?

      — Like all children, I dreamed of many things: a Barbie wardrobe, being able to control the wind, or always having a Happy Meal. But more than anything I wanted to grow up and not become a boring adult. Today I can say that I fulfilled that wish—and even went further. I help other girls believe in themselves and dare to leave "boring" jobs to begin a free, creative life.

      — What decision has been the boldest for you?

      — At 17 I fell in love with a well-known guy and decided to win his attention in the most unusual way: I built an orchestra of 24 people from scratch, wrote an album and staged a concert for 300 people in three months. He didn't come to the concert, but I realized the story wasn't about him, it was about me—about my place and my scale.

      — How would you describe the Stacy Trotskaya project?

      — It's a romanticized version of my life. Everything that happens to me—feelings, memories, meanings—turns into music. Genre and language are secondary here: it's always a reflection of the times. My first English-language multi-genre album, devoted to my youth, has been released; next will be songs in Russian—already with a different mood and sound.

      — Which artists have influenced you?

      — I don't have a favorite genre, but I do have favorite albums and songs that stay with me. Early albums by Florence + The Machine; Lemonade by Beyoncé; Keane — "Somewhere Only We Know"; David Bowie — "Heroes." For example, I recently discovered Chappell Roan.

      — What role does Russian culture play in your work?

      — A huge one. From childhood my grandmother introduced me to operas by Russian classics, and they became the foundation of my sense of harmony and beauty. Later, at VGIK, I studied cinema: Kira Muratova, Andrei Tarkovsky, Vadim Abdrashitov, Marlen Khutsiev. These directors shaped my visual taste and signature.

      — You combine music and vocal coaching. Are there stories you're particularly proud of?

      — There are more and more of them. For example, one of my students performed with Dmitry Malikov and sang at an afterparty of the Cannes Film Festival. Another left a corporation and in a short time reached an income level many only dream of, working entirely for herself. Another student recently released his album. These stories are the best proof of how working with the voice affects quality of life.

      — If you weren't a musician, what would you do?

      — I loved sketching clothes as a child. I'm creating a brand with limited-edition collections. Each piece is "shining armor" for highly sensitive people, helping preserve inner strength and project it into the world. This clothing is for those who want to remain themselves and aren't afraid to shine.

      — What would you like to say to your listeners?

      — I want to share three affirmations. The first is "I am here for myself." This phrase helps you feel support and care within, to be an adult alongside that inner child who can be afraid. The second: "We are all ready for this and we are all already there"—a mindset for the right version of reality. And the third: "Money, sexiness and being seen are energies that already exist inside you." And the voice is the fastest instrument capable of bringing them out.