Last Friday (22), singer and songwriter Nina Inski released “MIRROR, MIRROR”, a single that addresses themes such as personal acceptance, inner shadows and the challenges of adult life. Influenced by names such as Evanescence and Slipknot, the track explores the seven deadly sins in a fusion of post-grunge, hard rock and gothic rock. With introspective lyrics and visceral production, Nina invites listeners to reflect on excesses and temptations in times of social media.
The video, directed by the production company Maré.Mar , conveys the intensity of the song with references to the film Se7en and the musical Cabaret, bringing a theatrical representation of the deadly sins. Nina plays Pride, alongside other talents who personify the other transgressions.
“MIRROR, MIRROR” explores intense introspection and the acceptance of inner shadows. What was the process like of looking in the mirror and transforming your vulnerabilities into music?
The act of composing, for me, is always an act of vulnerability. I sometimes even joke that it’s kind of like psychographing your own soul (laughs). “MIRROR, MIRROR” was a song that came about during a time of great introspection, when I was dealing with inner demons and challenges of adult life, but I didn’t necessarily know how to navigate them yet. I think it was born from this incessant search to discover myself completely and understand what makes me human, you know? Not only my qualities and pleasant parts, but also the difficulties, the “shadows” and the most vulnerable parts of who I am. In the end, it was like looking in the mirror and seeing myself naked: a young adult who carries many imperfections, vices and sins. But the main message is also to be able to see the beauty in this. It’s like holding up a mirror and asking your reflection: “Who are you? What makes you you? What makes you authentic? How can your difficulties make you stronger in the future?”
The song addresses themes such as the seven deadly sins and the challenges of modern life. What do you hope the audience feels or reflects when connecting with this duality presented in the single?
I hope the public can identify with this balance between light and shadow, and understand that it’s okay to be a person full of dualisms. I, for example, am a walking metamorphosis (laughs). We all carry sins with us, even if deep down. Even if we don’t show this side of ourselves to anyone, it’s important to feel welcomed, right? And music is a channel through which we can connect with our soul and reinvent the lyrics for our own purpose. “MIRROR, MIRROR” came from my own personal problems, but the beauty of art is that everyone can re-signify it however they want: whether someone deals with addictions, “sins”, eating disorders or mental disorders. I hope this single can welcome these people, but also show them that it’s important not to fall into excesses. Gluttony? It’s okay once in a while, but, for example, drinking too much is bad. Greed? It only hurts the soul and those around us. Envy, for example, ends up eating us away from the inside. So it is important to have this critical eye, recognize our defects, and understand that we can never escape them 100%. But it is also essential to be aware that we must always try to be better people, both with ourselves and with others.
The mix of post-grunge, hard rock and gothic rock marks the sound identity of ‘MIRROR, MIRROR’. How did you come up with this characteristic combination and how does it represent your artistic essence?
I’ve always been a big fan of rock since I was little. I feel like I breathe rock and my soul will always be connected to this style. But at the same time, I love mixing musical genres and experimental elements. I’m at a point in my career where I feel like I need to experiment as much as possible to discover my authentic sound, even though I already know how I want each song to sound (laughs). That’s why, in “MIRROR, MIRROR”, I wanted to bring a slightly heavier sound than my debut song, “21”, which makes perfect sense with what I want to produce in the future. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to escape alternative rock, post-grunge and hard rock, but with each single, I intend to bring a different subgenre. In this specific single, it was gothic rock. In the next one, it will be emo and pop punk. And after that, I have a song that goes a lot into indie, country and blues.
The music video visually conveys the depth of the song, exploring the symbolism of the seven deadly sins. What was it like playing Pride and working on such a theatrical and impactful project?
Oh, it was amazing. As an actress, I feel like I’ll never be able to separate my love for theater from my musical career. I started in theater before music, when I was only nine years old, so everything I do is directly related to dramatic acting. I can already imagine shows with intense theatrical elements, crazy costumes and divided into acts, kind of like Sabrina Carpenter or Chappell Roan, but a rock and roll version. roll (laughs). And that’s why this first video was so much fun to make. Playing Soberba was really cool , because I feel like she’s a character that really reflects some artists: the feeling of superiority, arrogance and the thirst for power and fame. Of course, for anyone who makes a living from any kind of art, ambition and focus are important skills. But it’s also important not to fall into the trap of presumption. Working with friends was also incredible, and the recording set was super professional and organized. I called on well-known actors to play the other sins and produced the video with Maré.Mar , a producer of a long-time friend I met in journalism school.
Your career is marked by a versatility that moves between music, theater and writing. How do these different artistic expressions influence each other in the development of your creative identity?
I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to transition between different forms of expression, because I feel that one always ends up influencing the other in a positive way. Catharsis is inescapable for me, so being able to translate my anxieties into three different sources of art is very rewarding. In music, I will never be able to escape concerts and more theatrical productions (something that I personally love in other artists). In writing, I also always end up incorporating musical elements. This year, I wrote a book that was based on an album that I plan to release in 2026. So it will be a multimedia work, in which people can read the book and listen to the album at the same time, and vice versa. With my debut EP, I plan to bring really cool visuals that mix my theater studies in the format of a short film (which, obviously, will only happen if I get enough funding, lol). Some songs end up being born from poems, and some film scripts end up being born from songs. So, in the end, the three art forms always mix. I personally find this incredibly rewarding, and I plan to continue incorporating elements of one into the other to create multimedia art.
You mention that ‘MIRROR, MIRROR’ is an invitation to acceptance and authenticity in the age of social media. How do you balance your own authenticity while navigating this environment of constant exposure?
It’s really hard for me not to compare myself to other artists on social media (laughs), and it’s something that’s always very present in my therapy sessions. But I think the important thing is to recognize your own journey and your own authenticity. After all, no one has ever walked in your shoes to know why you are here or there, or why you decided to make a certain choice. But I also struggle a lot with being competitive with myself. I’m the kind of person who always expects too much of myself, who always thinks that I can get better, that things are never good enough. My therapist says that I demand too much of myself (laughs), and that I need to learn to relax. But I’ve always been like that, since I was a little kid. This year, however, I tried to take some time off social media so I could focus on what matters to me, which is art. I used to be very addicted to Instagram, TikTok, etc. , but this year my screen time has drastically reduced, and I feel like it’s done me a lot of good. In the end, we are ourselves, and no one will ever know you deeply, even if they see you on social media. So I’m learning to accept my own authenticity and kind of not give a fuck about silly comments from people who don’t know me completely. Besides that, I understood that social media is just a mere reflection of who we are; a virtual place that doesn’t always show all the facets of us. Who I am on Instagram is not necessarily who I am, because it depends on each person’s perspective. There will be those who think you’re amazing, and those who think you’re silly. And I think I made peace with that in 2024. I’m much lighter.
With the EP ’21st Century Nihilist ‘ on the way, scheduled for 2025, we see a project that mixes punk, grunge and garage rock. What can we expect in terms of concept and messages you want to convey?
This EP was basically written all at once, in the space of a month. In 2024, I left my career in advertising to be able to dedicate myself 100% to art. At first, it was amazing, and I felt super free, but after a while, I started to go into a kind of self-destructive tailspin. I wasn’t eating well, I wasn’t sleeping very well, I stopped exercising and I was working 14 hours a day on my career. It was a time when I gave in to the temptations and excesses that I preach so much in “MIRROR, MIRROR”. “21st Century Nihilist ” is, in short, a compilation of the messiest, most chaotic parts of me. A reminder that sometimes, it’s okay to not be okay! This EP is the epitome of being a “grown-up teenager” in the 21st century: messy, always late, and chronically depressed. I wanted the project to sound as chaotic as I felt at the time. It’s raw, loud, and unapologetically dirty—just like my headspace was. It was a strange and troubled time, but somehow, all that craziness turned into something hilariously comical and unexpectedly fun—“21st Century” Nihilist ”. Being a responsible adult? Sooooo hard. Sometimes I fall off the deep end. And honestly? That’s okay too.
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