Natalya Aynsley began her journey with piano playing at five years old. For her shows at Adelaide Fringe, she's combining her skill with her love for pop culture music.
Natalya will present 'Video Games 'N' Chill' and 'Anime 'N' Chill' during the festival – each featuring Natalya as she plays her way through some of her favourite pieces of music from these two worlds.
Natalya has toured around Europe, Asia and Australia. She first premiered 'Anime 'N' Chill' in 2020, earning a five-star review on opening night. She has played around Europe, Asia and Australia, performing more than 20 'Final Fantasy' concerts to thousands of fans.
Before she hits the stage for Adelaide Fringe to pay homage to the likes of 'Naruto', 'Pokemon', 'The Legend Of Zelda', 'The Last Of Us' and more, she sat down to chat with us about the performances.
You’re a ‘pop culture pianist’. Tell us a bit about how you got into pop culture, and when you began to blend it with music!
I started playing piano when I was five years old and I've always been way more interested in playing music from my favourite shows and video games rather than studying Mozart or Beethoven. I used to switch my NES on and play along with the themes from games such as 'Super Mario Bros.', 'Duck Tales', 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' and everything in between, figuring the tunes out by ear on my piano. I'd play along to VHS recordings of my favourite anime such as 'Sailor Moon' and 'Pokemon' when I was still a kid too. As a teenager I broadened my horizons both in anime and video games, especially when I got a PS2 some 20 years ago. It was then I began to consider a career as a pianist but only if I got to do something as fun as playing my favourite music as opposed to classical repertoire in cold and impersonal recital halls. Eventually I produced my first concert in 2018 - 'Worlds Connected: Music From Final Fantasy And Kingdom Hearts'. Following its success I produced a number of 'Studio Ghibli' concerts across Australia, and even performed a few of the hugely popular 'Candlelight Concerts' while I briefly lived in Adelaide.
Firstly, tell us a bit about ‘Anime ’N’ Chill’.
'Anime 'N' Chill' is a solo piano concert consisting of some of the most iconic music (and perhaps lesser-known gems) from a variety of anime shows across the decades. It's a celebration of the incredible music that deserves to be performed and paid attention to on its own.
This premiered back in 2020 and got great reviews. How did that feel?!
The 2020 premiere was my very first Adelaide Fringe involvement and I truly had no idea what to expect. I put together some music I thought the audience might enjoy and the response has exceeded my expectations. I got a five-star review and the three performances ended up selling out! I was really lucky that I got in there just a few days before the world shut down due to the pandemic. I've reinstated the concert in 2021 and even more impressively, the performances sold out too, during the nationwide lockdowns!
How have you curated the setlist for this performance?
The setlist will be different to both 2020 and 2021 concerts however I will definitely be including some crowd favourites I have previously performed. I'm hoping to have a really nice blend of nostalgic tunes from the iconic retro anime shows of the '90s and early 2000s, and some more current favourites. I want to make sure all age groups have something that's nostalgic to them included in the programme.
What’s your favourite anime, and why?
It would have to be my childhood favourite 'Sailor Moon'. I have watched and rewatched the series as a kid in Japanese, Russian and German. When I moved to Australia at 13, I watched some of the original English dub which was absolutely awful, not to mention a lot of the story was cut, chopped and changed so much so that the plot became entirely different in parts. The soundtrack to the original '90s series is completely underrated and I wish more people were aware of it! The concert is my chance to showcase some of the lesser-known themes from it. I think 'Sailor Moon' was ahead of its time in regards to many of its themes. The thing I love about it most is the representation of strong female characters and the portrayal of all the wonderful camaraderie and friendships between them.
Next up is ‘Video Games ’N’ Chill’! What are you most looking forward to about THIS show?
Video games have become such a vast spectrum that the soundtracks to them cover every genre imaginable. The demographic that plays video games these days is also very broad so it's really fun to bring all these different people together to celebrate something they all love. The setlist for this concert is also going to be different to the one I did in 2021 when the concert was called '8-bit 'N' Chill' so I'm looking forward to playing some pieces I haven't performed live before.
There’s a storytelling element to these shows. Can you tell us about that?
During the concerts I like to have a quick chat to the audience in between all the pieces as I find it instantly relaxes the room and everyone becomes aware that it's a friendly and fun atmosphere rather than a formal piano recital where we need to sit quietly and clap politely. I love telling little stories and anecdotes either about the pieces I'm about to play or my own connection to the show or game I'm playing the music from. I've been told I'm a charismatic, funny and compelling storyteller so I'll continue to chat to the audience as long as they continue to enjoy it!
What’s your favourite video game soundtrack and why?
It's really tough to choose when there are so many incredible ones out there but I think once again I'll have to go with something that is nostalgic for me personally and that's the original 'Kingdom Hearts' soundtrack from 2002. It is so well written and does an amazing job at evoking all the right emotions, whether it's the deep sadness and longing of its melancholy themes or the intense and nail-biting suspense of the battle themes. I love how much the piano is used in the orchestrations and I love the versatility of the soundtrack. The music is really challenging but so much fun to play.
How are you hoping audiences feel leaving your shows?
My hope is they will feel all of the feelings. The only thing I ever want to achieve when I perform is for the audience to feel something. I hope that some music will overwhelm them with nostalgia whilst other music they may not have heard in the past will awaken a bit of curiosity to explore it further. In any case, I would love for the audience to leave feeling uplifted, excited and inspired by the music they just experienced.
'Video Games 'N' Chill' and 'Anime 'N' Chill' play Nexus Arts Venue (Adelaide Fringe) 6-7 March.
