Stepping into the Kingdom of Xye

“I come from a long lineage of powerful women, and I hope to carry that spirit forward by inspiring others through my work.”

Zainab Hassan

27 March 2026

When you first come into contact with XYE, you’re immediately taken by the aura that exudes from her work. The vocalist, lyricist, and composer who describes her craft as living at the intersection of music and fine art creates a sonic and visual world that is wholly unique. We spoke with XYE to learn more about how her artistic world came to be, beginning in a digital plane.

‘I originally began my creative journey writing for video games, which shaped the way I approach music,’ she tells us. ‘Games are one of the most powerful storytelling mediums we have because the player is inside the experience. Music becomes part of the emotional architecture of that world, guiding tension, atmosphere, and the player’s connection to the story.’

‘That perspective deeply influenced my work as a songwriter. I’ve had the privilege of contributing music to several projects, including Stress Level Zero’s BONELAB and Ubisoft’s The Rogue Prince of Persia. In those environments, songs aren’t just background music; they are part of the universe the player inhabits.’

Alongside composition for games, XYE has been developing her own cinematic universe through her album The Kingdom Of Xye, which she describes as ‘a multimedia album inspired by Dark Fantasy Fairytales that fuses genres, particularly Classical Electronic and Folk Drum and Bass.’ Each record is crafted to be experienced like a film, as music, imagery, and narrative unfold in harmony. ‘It’s a body of work rooted in world-building, where every piece becomes a realm of its own, almost living, like a painting coming to life.’

“Where others did not see space for a voice or a story, I was determined to immortalize the hero’s legacy. I saw how songwriting could change interactive storytelling forever, and I was determined to do it.“

This keen eye for narrative, imagery, and evocative storytelling is largely what inspired XYE to pursue a musical career, especially in games. ‘It was the realization that music has the power to shape how a story is experienced,’ she explains. ‘When I first began songwriting for video games, I became deeply fascinated by how storytelling could influence a player’s connection to the game. Unlike film, where the audience observes the story, games place the player inside it, making music a part of their world.’

‘That, and being told songwriting doesn’t belong in game music, that it was meant to be instrumental,’ she continues. ‘Where others did not see space for a voice or a story, I was determined to immortalize the hero’s legacy. I saw how songwriting could change interactive storytelling forever, and I was determined to do it.’

XYE resolved to change the way music in video games was thought of entirely. ‘I believe songs can do more than accompany gameplay; they can enrich the player’s experience forever. When music carries the story, it allows the world of the game to stay with the player… long after they’ve put the controller down.’

Heritage and lineage

Throughout XYE’s artistry, it’s hard to ignore the importance that heritage and lineage play in her work. Speaking of her biggest musical influences, she notes female powerhouses such as Beth Gibbons of Portishead, Björk, Amy Lee of Evanescence, and Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine, who approach record-making as a form of world-building.

‘Their willingness to experiment with production, sound design, and visual identity had a profound influence on me,’ explains. ‘It showed me that music can be a form of living art, something that evolves alongside the artist’s life and perspective. I come from a long lineage of powerful women, and I hope to carry that spirit forward by inspiring others through my work.’

Moving away from the influences sought in music, XYE draws on a more personal source of inspiration through her heritage as a first-generation immigrant of Greek, Russian, and Armenian descent, reflected in the rich tapestry of her art.

‘My heritage is a very important part of who I am, and naturally, it finds its way into my work. Coming from Greek, Russian, and Armenian roots means carrying a history that is deeply tied to resilience. Many of those histories hold memories of displacement, war, love, and survival, and those emotional threads often surface in the themes I explore through music.’

‘I don’t approach it as something I have to force into the work — It’s simply part of my perspective as an artist. The way I think about storytelling is all shaped by that background. In many ways, my music is a way of honoring the generations before me while transforming those experiences into something meaningful and universal for others to connect with.’

“I come from a long lineage of powerful women, and I hope to carry that spirit forward by inspiring others through my work.“

We wondered what methods XYE used to bring her heritage to life through her music, and rather than deciding on specific instruments, styles of music, or even leaning into the visual side of her craft, she focuses on the stories she wants to tell. ‘I’m naturally drawn to themes that carry a sense of depth, fantasy, and resilience, which are very present in the cultures I come from,’ she explains. ‘My work often draws from mythology, history, and symbolism, and those elements are shaped by the heritage and traditions I grew up around. In many ways, it’s less about directly referencing culture and more about allowing that perspective to quietly guide the world I create through my music’.

For centuries, artists and musicians have drawn inspiration from mythology. Culturally, the stories and belief systems depicted in mythology have provided people with a framework to navigate life's complexities, helping us understand ourselves and the world around us. These storytelling methods are often used to explain abstract concepts, such as the formation of the universe, through themes of love, loss, and grief, the latter of which XYE shares her experience.

‘One defining moment in my life as an artist was losing my father,’ XYE explains. ‘Experiencing that kind of grief changes the way you see the world. It teaches you that loss is not a distant concept; it’s something that becomes part of everyday life. At some point, every person will face it in some form. That experience shaped the way I approach my work. I became very committed to capturing the depth of human emotion in an honest and beautiful way. Art has the ability to hold difficult truths, grief, love, and memory, and to transform them into something meaningful that others can recognize in their own lives.

It also made me realize that art is deeply political in its own way. At its best, great art functions almost like great journalism. It documents the raw reality of the human experience, reflects the times we live in, and preserves stories that might otherwise be forgotten. In that sense, creating music became more than just “expression” but a way of bearing witness.’

“Art has the ability to hold difficult truths, grief, love, and memory, and to transform them into something meaningful that others can recognize in their own lives.“

The tools that build the Kingdom

How does one build a kingdom? What are the tools of the trade? XYE describes her production setup as fairly minimal, but very intentional.

‘At the center of it is my muse, the Neumann M49V. It’s one of the most beautiful microphones ever made and captures the voice with incredible detail, which is important to me since the voice is often the center of my work. Then ROLI Airwave, which opens up a completely different way of interacting with music, especially as a songwriter, allowing me to expand articulation and depth with ease, particularly when I’m sound-designing or exploring new textures for characters within my songs.’

Given the highly visual nature of games and the immersive storytelling elements that some games have, pulling inspiration from the visual arts plays quite a crucial role in what XYE creates. ‘A lot of my process feels similar to painting or filmmaking. I’m translating visual ideas and environments into sound so the world feels more cohesive for the player. I come from a background in painting, particularly still life, and that has deeply influenced how I approach music. XYE also notes that she thinks in terms of composition, light, shadow, and space — the same way a painter would approach a canvas, with each element playing a role in shaping the overall mood and balance of the piece.

‘That perspective carries into my music. I’m often thinking about how different sounds sit together the way colors or textures might in a painting, helping create a world that feels intentional, alive, and immersive.’

‘Writing for games teaches you to think about music as part of a larger narrative system. You’re constantly considering how a character thinks and feels, how they interact with their environment, and what their dreams or fears might be. That mindset has definitely shaped how I approach music outside of games as well. Even when I’m writing standalone pieces, I still think in terms of the full life span of a story and the world surrounding it. Each composition feels like it belongs to a larger emotional arc or setting. That perspective has influenced projects like The Kingdom of Xye, where the music unfolds more like chapters within a book rather than isolated records.’

The fight to make one’s voice heard

It’s no secret that electronic music and video games have long been viewed as highly male-dominated fields, and while many women have broken through and paved the way for others to follow after them, it has not been an easy battle. XYE has experienced this firsthand, recalling the challenges she faced while working as a woman in music and gaming.

‘One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced has been fighting to have my voice and ideas heard, and making sure they aren’t edited down or filtered. In both music and gaming, there are still moments where a woman’s creative perspective can be redirected or overlooked.’

As a result of these experiences, championing her ideas in the creative process has been essential. ‘The worlds we create come from years of education and developing our craft, and it’s important that the voices behind those ideas maintain authorship. As my work continues to grow, I intend to use my platform to support and advocate for more women in music and games, making space for their voices, encouraging authorship, and helping create an environment where women are recognized for the work they create.’

However, XYE has seen some progress since she first started. She recalls seeing more women entering both music and game development, and more open conversations around representation and authorship. That said, there is still much more work that needs to be done. ‘Women are still underrepresented in many areas of production, composition, and storytelling,’ she emphasises. ‘The goal shouldn’t just be visibility, but real creative authority, ownership, and recognition for their work.’

“As my work continues to grow, I intend to use my platform to support and advocate for more women in music and games, making space for their voices, encouraging authorship, and helping create an environment where women are recognized for the work they create.“

This makes the work of celebrations like Women’s History Month so crucial in spotlighting the progress women have made, giving a platform to and championing those challenging the patriarchal norms, and highlighting where crucial changes need to be made.

For XYE, she interprets the concept of “giving to gain” (the theme of International Women’s Day for 2026) as the idea that what you invest into the world eventually shapes what comes back to you. ‘As artists, we spend years giving our time, discipline, perspective, and creativity to our work. That process of refining and sharing ideas is what allows something meaningful to grow. In my work as a musician, it means committing fully to the craft and to the worlds I’m creating. The more honesty you put into the work, the more depth it carries for the listener.

This same mindset also applies to how XYE approaches community. ‘By supporting other artists, especially women, and making space for their voices, we strengthen the creative landscape as a whole. When more people are given the opportunity to contribute, everyone gains from the richness of those perspectives.’

“Don’t feel pressured to fit into someone else’s mold. The things that make your perspective different are often the most valuable part of what you bring to the table.“

In the spirit of giving back to her community, XYE offers some words of advice to aspiring musicians, particularly women and non-gender-conforming artists, navigating the electronic music and gaming world — take your craft seriously and protect your voice.

‘Spend the time developing your skills, study beautiful literature, write often, and don’t be afraid to experiment. The stronger your foundation is, the more confidence you’ll have in your work. It’s also important to be clear about authorship and creative contribution. In collaborative industries like music and games, ideas move quickly, so knowing your value and standing behind your work matters. Most importantly, don’t feel pressured to fit into someone else’s mold. The things that make your perspective different are often the most valuable part of what you bring to the table.’

Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, the same can be said for the Kingdom of Xye. The construction of this cinematic universe is currently XYE’s primary focus and looks to be her main avenue of creative expression into the future, continuing to build on the world she has created, with the hopes of bringing people into her world, too.

‘It’s a living world where storytelling and visual art fuse to create a world entirely its own. Each record unfolds like a chapter, blending two genres I’ve been developing over the last year, Classical Electronic and Folk Drum and Bass. As my life moves forward, the Kingdom evolves with it. The music carries the seasons of life, stories inspired by real experiences, told through fairytales. My dream is that, over time, The Kingdom of Xye finds the souls it is meant for — maybe you?’

Discover more from XYE on Instagram and her official website.

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