We are so glad to welcome another fetish superstar, the amazing Nyssa Nevers! This is one of the best interviews ever!
1) Can you share with us a bit about your background and any info about your ethnic heritage?
I'm half Japanese and half Caucasian. I was raised by both my parents, my father was in the Marines and my mom was traditional Japanese. They were hard on me, I used to think they hated me, I was 16 hah! They love me a lot, and though they didn't care for the career I chose, they do not love me any less, and don't tell me I made a bad choice. They like me happy and respect me.
I come from a family that has great morals, I do unto others as I would have done unto me. I am good for my word and I have compassion for others. My parents wanted their children to be born without prejudice, to not see race, they did very well. Being in the military, we were mixed in with all different cultures and ethnicities. I didn't know black was black and white was white... Growing up in HI, everyone is TAN! :)
We moved to Japan and everyone seemed the same to me... we were all Americans living on base, I didn't know I was Asian, I was American! When we moved to VA after Japan, I had a big culture shock... I had learned about the civil rights movement and honestly NEVER saw any racism at all growing up... Seriously... until I moved to VA... I remember seeing my first race fight at school, I was floored... I thought all that was put behind us and we had since moved on, and that people didn't fight about the color of their skins, something they had no control over anyway... We were supposed to be EQUAL! What the heck happened with Virginia? Was I in a time warp?
My mom told me that things are different here and that since I was getting older, I would see things that didn't make sense, that there were still people that didn't get past racism, I couldn't wrap my brain around it... One day at school we had to take a standard test that they give to all the kids, I was in the 6th grade, they had all these bubbles to fill out, I was stumped when it came to the nationality part... I was American, they didn't have a bubble for that. I asked the teacher for help, she said she couldn't really help me with that part. I remember living in HI, we were called "Happa" meaning half and half, I was too young to really know it meant half Asian... My teacher asked where I was born, where mom and dad was born, we were all born in CA... I asked if I was Californian... but there was no bubble for that either... I ended up putting I was Hispanic because it started with an H. I went home and asked mom, she said no, I was Asian, I asked her how she knew! She said because she is Asian, and made me look in the mirror, but I just didn't see it... I saw an American girl.
I think that kinda leads into how I roll with bondage... there isn't a person I wouldn't tie up, I have no prejudice towards anyone, big, small, black, white, purple, old, young (18+ of course), it doesn't matter... you could be limbless, and I could still put a body harness on you and shove a ball gag in your mouth ;)
2) So how did you start out as a bondage model? By coincidence or by purpose?
I started modeling when I was young, but bondage/fetish modeling didn't come until I was 21. I met a girl on MySpace when I moved to MD and didn't know anyone up there. Kinda funny, but yeah, I was trolling the internet to make some friends, it's hard to make friends when you're new to an area. I saw a girl who had bondage/fetish looking photos and emailed her that we should hang out because we like the same stuff. Well, her name was Mallory Knots. And we hung out and she told me about being a bondage model and that maybe I'd like to come to a shoot with her and if I thought it was something I could do, that maybe the producer would shoot me too that day.
She ended up introducing me to a photographer Jim TTnT who did DiD tickling stuff, and that shoot went just fine, I had fun. Next she introduced me to Dan Hawke, who did more hardcore bondage, using implements and such. I watched her shoot with him and it all seemed neat and cool, like the stuff I was used to looking up on the internet. So I did a couple scenes that day with him and her. It was hard work, I'm sure I probably cried, but I can't remember for sure, but it felt great afterwards, a real release. And I got paid, how cool! And the pay was good, even cooler!
I guess I never thought about the girls on these sites as being models, I just thought they were into it and I guess I never thought too much about how did they get these girls, how they found them, how the girls found people to shoot them... I guess in my mind they just all knew each other and was like "Hey let's make awesome bondage videos!!" Now I know better... I prefer to shoot with the models who are actually into it, it's a whole different vibe than a model who is there just for the cash... If you can endure the shoot, you can make money doing it... but if you enjoy the shoot, I can see a girl getting far more work and much more money if they play their cards right. Being a model, you have to get with it, reputation is everything... Be a good model and get booked, be a bad model and no one wants to waste their time with you...
Starting out, I wasn't the best model, I was new and it took me a bit to get my footing. I can now say I'm a good model, ask around and they will tell you... everyone starts somewhere, I just try to tell new models to be reliable, that's the biggest thing. Well, be reliable, and ALWAYS check your references!!
3) Do you believe that the general public is being more and more tolerant (and even curious) about the fetish scene? What would be the best way to educate people?
I think that the general public IS getting used to the idea of kinky things, bondage and all those things. There will always be the nay-sayers, but in general, it's quite obvious that people are not so blind to fetishes, whether they like it or not, we're here and we're here to stay. Look how many web sites and fetish parties going on all over the world, going on in the USA... it's impressive compared to how little there was when I first started. I'm digging it.
Education about fetish and bondage, well, I've seen TV shows that have had episodes about fetishes. I saw one about "looners", one about feet, one about pro-dommes. It's out there, and it's coming into our homes, if we choose to watch that channel. Years ago, you would NEVER see anything like that on TV, unless it was some Jerry Springer episode, where of course the fetish was made to be a dirty sinful disgusting thing that should not be happening... Now, it's presented differently. There are classes and places you can go to learn about rope bondage, humiliation, coropral punishment, switching, subbing, domming, etc. It's available to anyone who wants to learn, they don't turn away anyone eager and willing to learn, they welcome you. It makes me happy to see the development.
4) Is it hard to come up with ideas, scripts, themes, for photo shoots? Do you create a lot of your concepts yourself?
It's not that hard to come up with ideas. I love movies, sometimes I just think of a movie I like and do a bondage parody lol. Or sometimes I just look at old bondage photos and try to recreate some masterpiece I remember... I'm kinda like a rope hippie... I can wing it and if it feels right, I go with it. I'm pretty go with the flow, and I'm not one of those people who limit themselves to symmetry... so I can really let go and not have to be stuck on what pleases the eye, as much as what pleases the mind, and other organs!
5) Now with so many sites, stores, and possibly more tolerance in the mainstream, do you fear that at some point, the market for bondage pictures/videos will become saturated?
Well, there are many photos and videos out there, and many sites now. Definitely the market has become saturated... but when you look at the quality of the videos, you notice the ones who really put some production value into it all. Anyone can release ten 5 min clips a month and make decent money, but when you look at some sites and see what they have done or where they have taken their videos you see the difference. Everyone and their mother can open some type of clip selling store on any of the sites that cater to that... so it's become harder as a producer to stay on top... The models will get popular because they are everywhere.
I hate to say it this way, and I know it will be taken the wrong way by some people, but honestly, porn has polluted bondage videos... I have nothing against porn, everyone likes to see sex... but it's gotten to the point where big companies HAVE to have sex on camera or at least some kind of penetration to be a top seller... kinda sucks because I know some damn good bondage models who aren't ever going to have sex on camera. With that said, I love all my porno girls and boys and love that they are doing their thing and doing it with bondage involved. But it's not how it used to be, you used to be able to sell a good hardcore bondage video with no sex or penetration... that's harder to sell that these days.
6) Who could you identify as your Top 3 favorite models that you've worked with through your career?
Sister Dee, she's quite impressive... I defintely love her style and bondage, she's great at switching on camera, and I LOVE a good switch, variety is the spice of life! Wenona, she's so flexible and she can really endure some tough positions, positions that are completely IMPOSSIBLE for me to get into, I admire that. Kendra James, she's great in a scene, she's been a favorite for a while now, she's tough and beautiful, and she's just so damn sexy! And best of all, all 3 of these ladies have a great attitude when it comes to working, they're professional and don't waste time, and deliver well.
7) Being frequently twisted like a pretzel during the years, what is the most difficult physical challenge at this moment when it's time to shoot?
Being on knee point sucks, but I deal with it as much as possible. Stretching everyday is a must, whether I am shooting that day or not, if you do bondage, I suggest you stretch, because you're gonna get stretched, be prepared! I'm not as flexible as I want to be, so I try to stretch and hopefully with enough effort and practice I can become more flexible. I see how flexible other models are, I want that for me... Never been able to do the splits, but I want to someday, it just looks so cool!
8) Tell us a bit about your broadcasting experience in TV and radio.
Well, I never was on real radio or TV, but I took a couple years of schooling for it and I was instantly hooked. I like the control of being able to video edit and make the final product something I would pay money to see. With that being said, I have a lot of back up editing to do... it's hard to find the time, and I refuse to hand it off to someone else in fear of them fucking it all up hahahah! I've always loved being in front of and behind the camera.
9) Your official site is presently in construction; what are your plans for it?
Lordy, I hate that question... Again, I'm a control freak, so until someone eases my mind and can sit down with me, I find it hard to trust someone with a web site that might have my name on it... But recently I did a music video for a band and met a guy who seemed trust worthy and like he understood where I might be coming from. I need to give him a call in fact! Good reminder! Someone needs to stay on my ass about it! ;)
10) Are there any active models out there that you're keeping an eye on for the quality of their work?
I'm always checking out my friends and what they have been up to. Recently I've been checking out Nyxon quite a bit because she does rope, which I love! Rope is my favorite, if I see a model that can be rigged as well as rig, I'm almost instantly a fan and want to see what they've been up to. Claire Adams has always been a terrific model and rigger, I check out her stuff whenever I hear something new is out, she's definitely one of my favorite female riggers. And of course, Sister Dee with her beauty and rigging skills, how could I not look for her updates.. that girl can rig, and she can give a good scene on whatever end she's on... I love the switches!
11) How do you relax when you're not working and not thinking about any of all this kinky stuff? Just lying around wearing baggy sweatpants? ;)
Hah! Yes, you've caught me... in my pajamas (not sweatpants, ughhh, cute pajama pants... sweat pants are for dudes!) Usually I'm catching up on my shows, Bad Girls Club is my favorite guilty pleasure... as well as The Walking Dead, Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones... and I love American Pickers & PawnStars, I'm a history buff and a pack rat, so I totally dig those shows. When I'm not catching up on shows, I'm catching up on email, or catching rays at the beach, I love the beach, I'll live on a beach one day, it'll be totally awesome. I also like to go visit my momma, my lil bro, hang out with the boyfriend, travel, try new things, meet new people, and hopefully tie them up! ;)
12) Would you say that there is a thin line between your modeling personality and your own private life?
I would say the line between my actual personality and my modeling personality is very thin if not transparent. I dont change how I act, I might watch what I say more when I am working, but that's because my personal life doesnt need to overflow into my modeling career. It's good to keep those things a little separated, check your home life at the door, it doesn't do any good or add anything great to a shoot
I do however keep a lot of my personal life, private. I dont like everyone knowing my every move, I like to keep some stuff just for myself, my family, my boyfriend, and my true friends. I've made a few good true friends who are models, and I keep in touch with them more than most of the other models, but it's nice to have a little mystery about yourself, right? I've always been a pretty straight forward, honest, blunt person, maybe even a little outspoken hahaha! I do speak my mind quite often, sometimes maybe I shouldn't but, hey, that's me!
13) Would you ever be interested in visiting us in Montreal to work with the Cult Sirens crew? We have this Miss Tamiyah to introduce to you...
But of course! I have never been to Montreal, but I hear good, fun, sexy things about it!! And of course I need to meet Tamiyah in person and pay her back for my NJKidnapper shoot! ;)