Meet Ksenia Vasileva | Bass Player and Sound Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ksenia Vasileva and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ksenia, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
Growing up, the world never felt like a predictable or linear place—and I think that uncertainty, being the norm, became something that keeps me excited about life. In fact, being outside my comfort zone has become my comfort zone.

I remember hitchhiking across Europe as a teenager. I didn’t have a clear plan or destination—I trusted my instincts, and I had to learn to trust strangers too. I have so many amazing memories of that time—waiting by the roadside, sleeping in train stations, sharing stories with people I had never met before. That time in my life shaped how I think about risk: not as something to fear or avoid, but as a necessary part of discovery.

I chose music as my path, which is a risk in itself—there’s no clear trajectory or career path. And at the height of a successful career in Russia—with steady work, recognition, and a growing network—I made one of the biggest leaps of my life. I sold everything I owned, and moved to the U.S. to attend Berklee College of Music. I didn’t even have enough money to cover my second semester. But I believed that if I made the jump, I’d figure out the rest. And somehow I did. I played every gig I could find, I taught lessons, hustled for opportunities, reached out to strangers for help, learned new skills, and adapted to survive. Those years stretched me in every direction—but they also expanded my ability to navigate uncertainty and to become resourceful in ways I never could have imagined.

To me, taking risks is a bit like improvisation—you don’t always know what’s coming next, but you stay alert, adapt, and stay open to where it might lead. Sometimes the stakes are high, but the outcome is rarely just success or failure—more often, it’s growth, new perspective, and unexpected opportunities.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m especially proud of the fact that I’ve built a life and career that didn’t exist on paper. I didn’t follow a traditional path—I created my own. I moved countries, changed languages, started over more than once. I’ve had to hustle my way into rooms, teach myself new skills, and find community where I had none. It wasn’t easy, to say the least. There were times I stood at the edge of giving up—but I never truly crossed that line, because deep down, I’ve always believed there’s a solution to every challenge. That mindset has carried me through.

I strongly believe that the more life experience you have, the deeper your art becomes. I’m not the flashiest or most technically skilled bass player out there. I don’t have all the chops that a “professional” is supposed to have. But what I think sets me apart is how I express myself musically. I like to think that every note I play carries part of my story. My entire life flows through my music. And I think people feel that. That’s why the artists I work with keep calling me back. Because beyond the notes, there’s something real—something lived.

One of the most powerful things I discovered is that I love to learn. While I was at Berklee, I dove into sound design and audio programming, eventually building my own little synthesizer—something I never imagined I’d be able to do. More recently, I taught myself how to code, which opened up a whole new world of creativity for me. I truly believe that every new skill, every piece of knowledge, expands your creative vision and deepens your understanding of life. It’s all connected.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Saint Petersburg in the summer is one of the most magnificent places you can be. During the season of White Nights, the sun barely sets and the skies remain bright well past midnight. Because it sits so far north, the summer days stretch, and the nights are filled with a kind of soft, silvery twilight that gives everything a dreamlike quality. The weather is perfectly gentle—warm enough to stroll along the canals and riverbanks.

One of the most magical sights is the opening of the bridges. In the middle of the night, these massive structures slowly lift to let ships pass through the Neva River. People gather along the embankments to watch—it’s poetic and cinematic, part engineering marvel, part ritual, part romance.

There are so many incredible restaurants and bars that stay open all through the night. A perfect evening might start with a walk along the embankment, then watching the bridges open from 1 to 2 or even 3 a.m. And afterward, you drift toward a cozy bar or a stylish restaurant for a late-night drink and some appetizers. The food is incredible!

In St. Petersburg, you meet people easily. Locals, tourists, musicians, artists—there’s a sense of openness, as if everyone understands that this brief northern summer is something sacred. Conversations go deep into the night—it feels like time moves differently. Before you know it, the sky begins to shift again, and you’re catching the sunrise over the rooftops or the river. That soft morning light is the city’s way of telling you it’s time to go home and rest.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to shout out everyone who believed in me. So many people—both in Russia and in the U.S.—supported me and made me feel at home. But just as importantly, I want to shout out everyone who didn’t. That balance—support on one side and doubt on the other—has been a strange but powerful engine that kept me moving. And I’m grateful for all of it.

Website: https://ksenia.io/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrs.esper/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ksenia-vasileva/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ksenia.vasilyeva.3

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KsuBass/videos

Other: https://www.fiverr.com/sellers/ksenia230/edit

Image Credits
Lauriane Ogay
Takamasa Ota