Forget the metaphors—this is pure feeling, sonic fire, and a line you won’t forget: “Will I keep you, or will I end up pushing you?” With “Nobody Stays,” XTINE dives headfirst into the mess of love, mental health, and fear of abandonment, and somehow makes it all sound heartbreakingly beautiful.

We sat down with the alt-pop singer/producer to talk about writing like a kid with a wild imagination, getting a literal cosign from Sia, and why she never wants listeners to just press play—she wants them to feel wrecked and rebuilt. This is a full-blown artistic exhale.

What’s your favorite part of the songwriting process?

My favorite part of the songwriting process is the feeling of pure joy when I come up with a lyric that I love. I feel like a child when I write because I’m diving into the unknown with such curiosity about what I can create with the limitless imagination and crafting of ideas.

There’s a line in the song—“Will I keep you or will I end up pushing you?” —That hits so hard. Do you ever feel like songwriting helps you answer the questions your mind won’t?

It does. Sometimes I feel so much and can’t pin words or know where to begin to describe how I feel, but where my words fail, music translates and describes for me. It has always dramatically helped me become more self-aware of my emotions and what I am feeling.

There’s something powerful about just seeing you, a mic, and a notebook. What made you decide to center the video around that stripped-down studio vibe?

I am a producer, and I wanted to show my passion for production and how it feels for me to be in the studio. I usually just write my songs on my bed with my laptop, literally, but when I’m in the studio, I feel alive, I feel like I’m flying, and I never want to come down.

If you had no budget limitations, what wild or dreamlike concept would you love to bring to life for the “Nobody Stays” music video?

I would absolutely love to include beautiful contemporary dancing in my music video, as well as scenes of what it feels like to live with borderline personality disorder by showing gut-wrenching life scenes, the great happiness, the lows, and the highs. I want it to portray so much—pain, happiness, love, loss, abandonment, beauty, elegance, and art.

You’ve collaborated with 2 major mental health organizations, Under the Sisterhood and the DMAX Foundation—tell us about these collaborations. How have they expanded your understanding of what it truly means to be an artist with purpose?

There’s a difference between being an artist and being an artist with purpose. An artist without purpose will create with no intention. It truly comes down to neuromusicology—the effects of music on the brain. If you can manipulate that, you can seriously make an impact on people’s hearts; write with the intention of how you want to help people, and that is just what my goal is in all of my music.

I want people not to feel alone—to relate. But I want people to feel heard, understood, and have hope of any kind. I don’t want people to listen to my music. I want them to feel it and experience something brand new. These collaborations help spread the importance of mental health, bring more awareness, and touch more hearts and souls of people who need it the most. I have been so ecstatic to have the opportunity to collaborate with these organizations and people!

Do you still find yourself going back to that special video Sia made for you, dancing to your early music? What does it mean to you now, compared to how it felt back then?

I do. I go back when I want to see and feel what it was like all the way in the beginning. It makes me go back in time and feel what it felt like to discover music and the childlike curiosity, and the deep passion I grew for music. I still can’t believe someone as talented, gifted, and sweet as Sia would support me like that, especially the person who inspired me in the first place. She told me to never stop singing, and I never did. It really makes me truly understand the progress I have made and all of my accomplishments, that my hard work has paid off completely.

Looking back at “Beautiful Has No Cost,” the song you released at 15 that resonated deeply with so many people struggling through tough times—after seeing how much your music has helped others, do you find yourself writing more with them in mind, or is your creative process still something you do primarily for yourself?

I do! After releasing that song, it made me realize my purpose on this planet. I want to just make the biggest positive impact with my music in people’s hearts as much as I can. I just want to help people. It is so fulfilling when I hear how a song of mine helped someone through a hard time. Sometimes all I had was a song that made me feel less alone. Songs save.

You’ve achieved impressive milestones—from winning #1 Song on IndabaMusic in 2016 and collaborating with industry giants like Yoad Nevo and Megan Wilde to performing at major fundraisers for The Monthly Fund. Which of these moments stands out as a turning point for you?

All of them do! I can’t believe how far I’ve come. It’s unreal, and it feels like all of my childhood dreams that followed into my adulthood are coming true after a decade and a half of such dedication, time, and hard work. Every single accomplishment, opportunity, and experience I have that is a milestone for me in my music journey means the absolute world to me, no matter how big or small.

Are you currently working on new material or projects? We’d love to hear more about what’s next for you.

I am always making new music! I will be releasing more and more after this!

Is there a particular song or project you’re most proud of? Why?

I am most proud of my album “Experiment No. 1,” which I released in 2023. Before writing, producing, and recording this album, I was stuck between the lines and limits of the genre of pop. I did not know where to begin to expand my experience in other genres, but my goal was to be able to fuse genres together to have my own unique sound. And I started becoming so influenced and inspired by Björk’s music, as well as Sleeping At Last’s music.

I practiced jazz, classical, and vintage orchestral music, as well as listened intensively to them. I was then able to combine a couple of genres and keep combining and fusing. This album is my journey of it all—the experiments, the passion, curiosity, hard work, and just brand-new ideas. This is my proudest work.