Nian Tong has just released his new EP Gradually, a project that centres on the slow, uneven process of moving on. Written during his time in London, the EP narrates the story of a relationship that never fully materialised. It’s personal, honest and relatable, capturing those in-between moments that are often harder to put into words.
Across the four tracks, he moves through confusion, realisation, and a sense of acceptance. “Things don’t really disappear completely,” Tong says. That thought sits at the centre of the EP, in the way everything fades in and out rather than ending cleanly.
Noctis Magazine speaks with Tong about how Gradually took shape, the instinct behind his songwriting, and why stepping out from behind the scenes to perform his own music became something he couldn’t ignore. He also reflects on how the EP fits into where he is now, and why it feels more like a snapshot than a finished chapter.
Congrats on the new EP. You’ve mentioned how it follows an emotional arc — was that something you had mapped out from the start, or did it take shape as the songs came together?
Thank you! I would say it’s about half and half. I wrote three of them in 2023, and they naturally followed an emotional arc from confusion, to realization, to the beginning of something new.
I brought those songs to my friend Paola Payan, who’s a playwright. I told her, ‘I have three songs already and I need one more to complete the EP, but I’m not sure what it should be about.’ She listened to my story and she said “You can write about the non-linear process of moving on, connecting the second song and third song. Maybe ‘Gradually’ can be the key word.” It immediately clicked with me, and I realized it could define not just the final track, but the whole EP.
A lot of the EP centres around a relationship that never fully materialised. Do you think those kinds of “what if” situations can stay with you longer than something more defined?
Yes, I think so. That relationship lasted for quite a long time, and it coincided with a period in my life where I was gradually figuring out who I am as a person. Because of that, it became deeply intertwined with my personal growth. A lot of my songwriting was also shaped around it, so in a way, it stayed with me not just emotionally, but creatively as well.
There’s a strong theme of emotions fading gradually rather than disappearing all at once. Was that something you became aware of in real time, or more in hindsight?
I think I was aware of it in real time. That’s just how it goes. Things don’t really disappear completely. Sometimes something small, like a song or a movie, can bring it all back for a moment. You might think about it for a bit, but then it fades again. Eventually, you just kind of laugh about it and carry on.
“What’s On Your Mind” blends nostalgic touches with a more modern sound. How do you approach that balance without it feeling too referential?
I think for me it starts with instinct rather than intention. I’m very influenced by music from the 60s and 70s, so that naturally comes through in my writing. It’s more about letting those influences live inside the music while still making something that feels current.
“I Shouldn’t Have Talked to You” captures quite a specific moment. When you’re writing something that personal, do you tend to overthink it or just follow instinct?
I follow instinct on this one. This one was written right after a confrontation. When something that impactful has just happened, there isn’t really space to overthink it. You’re just trying to process what you’re feeling, and the song comes out of that.
You spent a lot of time writing and producing for other artists before stepping forward with your own work. What pushed you to make that shift?
I started learning how to sing during COVID, and I released an EP in 2023. But as a very introverted person, performing wasn’t really something I considered at the time.
In 2024, a friend said to me, ‘Your songs are really good, and you’re a good singer — why aren’t you playing any gigs?’ I had never sang in front of an audience before, but that moment felt like a wake-up call. It made me realize that if I wanted to tell my own stories, I had to step forward and actually perform them. And being in London, with such an open and welcoming music scene, made me feel like I could actually start trying it.
The production on this EP feels a bit more stripped back and modern compared to earlier work. Was that a natural progression, or a conscious decision going into it?
It was a bit of both. The first song I wrote for the EP, ‘What’s On Your Mind,’ already leaned more modern compared to my earlier work, and that naturally set the direction for the rest of the project.
That said, there were moments where I had to make more conscious decisions. For example, I struggled with the sound of ‘Whatever You Do’ for a while — it would have worked really well with a more classic pop-soul arrangement, but that felt too close to what I had done before.
Things finally clicked after I watched some producer breakdowns of ‘Please Please Please’ by Sabrina Carpenter and ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ by Chappell Roan. I was really inspired by how they used synthesizers to create something modern while still keeping strong melodic songwriting. That helped me find the sonic direction for the track, and ultimately for the EP as a whole.
Now that Gradually is out in the world, do you see it as closing that chapter for you, or more as a snapshot of something you’re still working through?
I see it more as a snapshot than a full stop. The EP captures how I felt during that period, but those emotions don’t just disappear once the music is out. I think I’ve moved forward in many ways, but parts of it still stay quietly with me.
Follow Nian Tong on Instagram
Words: Alexander Williams