MIAMI — At just 20 years old, South Florida singer Masha Kova is carving out her own sound with help from a music legend who helped define the R&B she grew up loving.
Kova, a Miami-based singer with deep musical roots, worked with Grammy-winning producer Teddy Riley on her debut single, “Bye Bye Bye.” Riley, known as the creator of New Jack Swing, has become a mentor to the young artist as she develops a sound blending pop, R&B and early-2000s nostalgia.
“I’m a huge 2000s girlie,” Kova said. “That’s my whole brand.”
For Kova, working alongside Riley was an opportunity to learn from someone whose influence stretches across generations of R&B.
“Working with Teddy Riley was such a surreal experience,” she said. “Being in a room with such a legend who has so much aura, knowledge, and he’s iconic. He is a blueprint in music.”
But the upbeat sound of “Bye Bye Bye” came out of a difficult period in Kova’s life.
She said she walked into the studio at a low point and knew exactly what kind of song she needed to make.
“I was like, ‘OK guys, I need a good feel-good song,’” Kova said. “‘I need a song that feels like a bop that’s going to make me feel like I’m the baddest.’”
While the title may sound like a breakup anthem, Kova said its message goes beyond leaving a relationship behind.
“I’m also saying ‘bye bye bye’ to, like, my old identities, my old self, my old friendships, my old habits,” she said.
A musical calling
Music has been part of Kova’s life since childhood. Her mother was a singer in Russia, while her father was a music producer.
Initially, Kova wanted to take a different path.
“I wanted to stand out and I was like, I’m going to be the only one in the family that does not do music. I’m going to be a lawyer,” she said.
That changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when time alone gave her an opportunity to reconnect with music.
“You know when something is just your calling, you can’t run from it,” she said. “And I fell in love all over again. I started to write. I started to sing.”
Now, Kova hopes to use her growing platform for more than her music. She has spoken openly about struggling with body image when she was younger and wants her brand to encourage self-acceptance.
“When I was younger I really faced body dysmorphia issues and not loving myself,” Kova said.
Her “Body So Tea” message, she said, is about reminding others to embrace who they are.
“I want to emulate that you are beautiful the way you are and you are special,” she said.
More music on the way
Kova is already preparing her next release, “Red Light Green Light,” which she describes as a blend of pop and house music.
“It’s a metaphor for, you know, that push and pull effect sometimes you have with someone,” she said. “So it’s a very flirty, sexy song.”
In September, Kova plans to perform both songs during her first showcase in Wynwood.
She is also working on additional music, with a potential EP on the horizon.
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