Nia Chennai: Nia-Soul
Wasting Time – Nia Chennai | Spotify | Apple Music
Meet Nia Chennai, a 22-year-old artist who’s been shaking up the UK music scene with her soulful sound. Born in London, her musical roots trace back to a karaoke set her dad bought her as a child, igniting her love for singing and, unknowingly, her path into the world of music. In a city bursting with musical diversity, she explains that the UK is a rich tapestry of genres with hidden gems abound. While R&B and Neo-soul may not receive the same spotlight as they do across the pond, Nia sees a resurgence on the horizon, with a wave of UK talent ushering in a new era for these soulful sounds.
Nia’s musical influences are a who’s who of iconic artists. From the timeless allure of Amy Winehouse to the neo-soul mystique of Erykah Badu and the lyrical brilliance of Lauryn Hill, these legends have left an indelible mark on her own artistic journey.
Nia’s music making process isn’t just a checklist of tasks; it’s a therapeutic process, a journey through her thoughts and emotions. Real life serves as her wellspring of inspiration, and she believes her lyrics are a mirror to her own experiences. It’s this raw authenticity that resonates with her audience, making her music a deeply personal yet universally relatable experience.
As we journey deeper into Nia’s musical world, we’ll uncover more about her sound, her favorite projects, her live performances, and the dreams that fuel her artistic fire. Read more below for an engaging exploration of the musical universe of Nia Chennai.
So first, can you just tell me a little bit about yourself?
My name is Nia Chennai. I am 22 and I’m from London. I started doing music properly, two years ago, when I decided that I was going to really actually go for it. Before, it was just kind of a dream that didn’t
really seem attainable.
But, yeah, I’ve always been writing since I was young, when I was like, sixish. My dad bought me a Singstar set on the PlayStation, which basically is karaoke. I thought I was like, Beyonce, so I kind of fell in love with singing through that and then just growing up with a lot of music around me.
What’s it like making music in the UK? I’ve interviewed a couple artists from London. They all say different things.
The scene in London, I would say there’s loads of different things going on. I feel like if you like a certain genre, generally you have to go out of your way to find those hidden gems.
In regards to radio, they don’t really push, like, R&B or Neo-soul as much as they do in America. But I think there’s like a resurgence coming because there’s a lot of UK girls and boys coming with the R&B.
Growing up, what artists did you listen to that influenced you today?
My main influences would be Amy Winehouse, Erica Badu and Lauryn Hill. When I was younger, I used to love watching Beyonce.
Do you produce as well?
I don’t produce, but I write everything myself.
Okay, so follow-up question: What is your end to end process like for creating a song?
Generally, it will start with either. I could be writing anywhere. I could be on the bus writing in my notes almost as if it’s like a poem, or I could be in the studio, hear the beat and then just go off what that beat is telling me.
Where do you find the most inspiration for your lyrics?
Oh, my gosh. I would say real life. I feel like when I’m writing, I’m kind of like rediscovering thoughts that I didn’t even know that I was feeling. So yeah, it’s kind of like a therapeutic process.
Do you sample a lot in your music?
No, I haven’t, but there’s one song that we’ve done that we kind of want to kind of recreate the sample in our own way.
But no, I haven’t done any samples, I would definitely like to.
If you could describe your sound in its own genre, what would you call it?
That’s a hard one. I would say it’s definitely neo-soul, but with a modern twist to it.
As far as what you have out now, what project do you see as your own personal best?
My personal favorite would be since We Ain’t Together, just because I enjoyed the process of making it. Not that I didn’t enjoy the process of making the other ones, but it just felt like it was an exciting time.
It was my second single, I had already got my first single out the way. When it came to do that second single, it was kind of like, okay, now I know what I’m stepping into. I felt like I could relax a little bit more and just enjoy the process.
Have you done any live shows yet?
Yeah, I’ve done quite a few live shows and I’ve done a supporting act tour, that was really fun.
I got to see the biggest crowds that I have performed for yet, so, yeah, it was a lot of fun.
What’s a dream tour spot for you?
I feel like any stadium would be amazing.
Does fashion play a role in your artistry at all?
Or how do you look at that aspect of it? Yeah, I would say I’m starting to realize that what I wear and how I even do my hair all comes together. It’s like one package as the artistic profile, should I say? And I feel like it allows people to understand a bit more about me and what I like without really saying anything.
What are some other genres you’re looking to kind of tap into in the future?
I feel like I have made hyperfusions of different songs, so there’s some songs that have got, like, a reggae or Afro beats feel, or more of like a pop feel, but I’m not opposed to any future collaborations.
Who’s an artist you think you would work well with on a collab album?
There’s another UK artist that I’d like to work with, Natanya. I’ve been listening to her stuff and I think we’d make a good collab.
What do you have coming out next? Projects? Shows?
So at the minute, we’re just in the process of finishing up a project with the lead single “Wasting Time”. The project, which is going to be eight songs, will include my last single and the single before that on it as well.
Do you have any music videos out?
I do want to do a music video. It’s just whether it’s in budget as yet. But if I could do a music video for my next single, that would be good.
What’s one project growing up that you hold close?
I would probably say Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, just because I feel like there were so many different stories within that project that I learned from and it gave me different perspectives of things. Also just hearing Lauren rap the way she rapped, I thought was nice to hear because the first time I saw Lauren was in that film, Sister: Act Two.
So then when I realized that she actually made music, I just kind of fell in love with that.
Okay, what are some of your personal goals as an artist?
I would say in the near future, I would like to do things like a Colors performance or Tiny Desk performances, things like that.
In the future, I think I would just generally want a loyal fan base where even if, say, I hadn’t dropped, and then I said: “okay, I’m going on tour.”, People would still be there.
Last thoughts?
The name of the EP that I’m dropping is called Diary is a Waste of Paper. I’m hoping to release it by the end of the year.
Thank you for hopping on today.
Have a good day.
You, too.