Exclusive Interview: Paris WYA on ‘MANNEQUIN,’ Heartbreak, and Finding Her Voice

For Paris WYA, MANNEQUIN arrives at a turning point—one shaped by transition, but defined by intention. As she prepares to graduate from Cornell University and relocate to Los Angeles, she steps into a space where the path ahead is no longer set for her, but shaped on her own terms. What takes shape is a project rooted in evolution—of identity, of perspective, of creative control. With MANNEQUIN, Paris doesn’t just enter a new chapter—she steps into it with a clarity that feels entirely her own.

Brought to life alongside collaborators Adrian Cota and GRAMMY-nominated producer Morgan Taylor Reid, the eight-track EP expands Paris’ sonic palette with a more textured, immersive approach. Across singles like “More Balance,” “Hate You More,” “Only Time Will Tell,” and “Treat Me Right,” she leans into a blend of ethereal production and acoustic elements, allowing her songwriting to take center stage.

We caught up with Paris to talk about the emotional core of the EP, navigating change, and what it means to finally create on her terms.

PC: You’ve been incredibly open about the realities of this industry and how, at times, those voices have clouded your artistry. This year marks a new chapter—something that really comes through in your upcoming EP, MANNEQUIN. It’s empowering for your fans, listeners, and aspiring artists, but I imagine it’s also scary to silence that noise and trust your own voice. What was that a-ha moment for you?
Paris WYA: The a-ha moment came in the most unexpected way. On my way to my first meeting with Adrian Cota, I was in a car accident. I showed up pretty shaken, but looking back, it felt almost fitting because I was already in a fragile headspace walking in. Up to that point, I had been making music I felt I had grown out of, and I was feeling really stuck—especially given what I was being told about the direction I needed to go.

Before meeting him, I’d had early experiences in LA where I felt real pressure to move in a direction that didn’t feel true to me. It made me question my instincts and whether I had to become something more manufactured to move forward.

That meeting shifted everything. It made me realize that the whole point of being a creative is to express yourself honestly—and if it’s not really you, what’s the point? What stood out about Adrian is that he brings a piece of himself into everything he makes, and he created space for me to do the same. The right collaborators don’t ask you to reshape yourself; they help you bring out what’s already there. That was the beginning of this chapter.

PC: That’s beautiful. Larger bodies of work tend to capture a snapshot of where you are in your artistry at a given moment. How would you title this chapter of Paris WYA, and what do you hope to say with this release?
Paris WYA: I’d call this chapter “Metamorphosis.” MANNEQUIN represents something static—posed, shaped by other people’s hands—and this project is about confronting that. I’m graduating, moving to LA, and putting out music I’m genuinely proud of. There’s been a lot of shedding—old habits, old relationships, old versions of myself I needed to leave behind—and this EP is what’s emerged.

PC: There’s a timelessness to your songwriting that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant. Has there been a lyric on the EP that’s taken on new meaning for you since you wrote it?
Paris WYA: “If I could be me, who would I be?” has taken on a new meaning for me. When I wrote it, it came from a place of not really knowing who I was outside of other people’s expectations. Now, it feels less like a question and more like freedom.

PC: There’s such a visceral quality to your songwriting—you’re painting vivid, empowering, and at times heartbreaking anthems. Who or what has had the biggest impact on that part of your craft?
Paris WYA: I’m a very sensitive person—I feel things deeply, and I tend to romanticize life in this grand, almost eternal way. That can make it harder for me to let go of people, of change, and of the versions of things I thought I’d have. But I think that’s where the visceral quality comes from. I’m not writing around the feeling—I’m writing from inside it.

My first real heartbreak was a major catalyst. It cracked something open emotionally that I hadn’t accessed in my songwriting before.

PC: Outside of the title track, if you had to choose one song from the EP that best captures who you are as an artist in this moment, which would it be, and why?
Paris WYA: I’d probably have to say “More Balance.” It has this tension I really love: confident but cracked, sensual but sharp. It came from a place of wanting my control back and learning how to untangle myself from all the things that used to hold so much power over me. That’s where I am right now.

PC: Often, when artists release a project, they hit the road to support it. Do you have any tour plans or live performances coming up?
Paris WYA: I’ve started performing my own music live, including shows at Cornell and a performance with Breaking Sound in New York. I’m moving to LA this May and am excited to start building a live presence there. Touring is definitely the goal—eventually taking it international, especially since I grew up abroad.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Paris WYA: Fisher—I’m a huge house fan.

PC: First album you bought?
Paris WYA: Speak Now by Taylor Swift. We performed songs from it in music class, and I was completely obsessed—it felt like this magical, fairy-tale world I wanted to live in.

PC: First concert you attended?
Paris WYA: Katy Perry’s Prismatic World Tour in Shanghai at Mercedes-Benz Arena. I remember being completely mesmerized.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
Paris WYA: The Fame Monster by Lady Gaga! This album gave me delusional confidence and made me feel unstoppable. Her performance is so visceral—I never wanted to stop dancing.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
Paris WYA: Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai—my hometown, and where I saw my first concert. It would be a full-circle moment.

PC: A must-have on the road?
Paris WYA: Harmless Harvest coconut water. Non-negotiable.

To keep up with Paris WYA, follow her on Instagram, Spotify, and Apple Music. Stream MANNEQUIN whenever you listen to music.