Q&A Nailah Blackman

Growing up, she had a penchant for dancing, singing, and artistic talents. At age 11, she sang background vocals for her aunt’s all-women gospel band, Nehilet Blackman and D All Girls Band. Being in the band inspired her even more musically, and a year later her mother taught her a few chords on the guitar.

“That’s where it all began,” she says of the musical journey her life embarked upon. “I started writing and composing my own songs at such a rapid rate; it was like a fever came over me.” At the age of 15, she departed from her aunt’s band to spread her wings as an individual performer. “It was then I started doing demos with my uncle, Isaac Blackman, and getting little performances wherever I could.” Her “little” performances have now been parlayed into a full-fledged solo career. The 18-year-old recently released her first single “Cigarettes”, an upbeat production with catchy guitar strums laced with Nailah’s unique and infectious lilt. The single has been chomping on local airwaves and she’s currently working on producing the single’s music video and an EP which she hopes to release in early 2017.

Today, Nailah chats with WMN about “Cigarettes”, her upcoming performance at Fiesta Plaza on August 27, what has inspired her performance style, and other aspects of her artistry apart from singing and performing.

Q What unique facets of yourself do you bring to singing, songwriting, and performing?

My music is in its own space and it’s actually trying to find itself right now, but some unique aspects that I bring to my art form would have to be the heavy East Indian and Arabic influence. I was part of the Shiv Shakti Dance Company in my early high school years and it has subconsciously drenched my hearing for rifts and runs when singing in that type of musical notation.

In terms of song writing, it kinda just happened for me. It runs in my blood seeing that my dad was a very prolific writer and my grandfather was even more brilliant. So my family would have to be the biggest influence on my writing. I am also very emotional and in touch with my senses and writing was a great avenue for me to express my feelings, my thoughts, dreams and experiences. So just being Nailah has so much to talk about.

Now performing, I’m still kind of a baby because even though I’ve performed many times in many places I still haven’t had the opportunity to have a performance exactly how I would want it. My performances are very intimate and closely connected with my audience but that doesn’t work for every crowd. As much as I love my guitar I don’t always wanna be behind it on stage. I want to dance and free up and spread my winds so I’m still working towards crossing that bridge.

Q What makes you feel most fulfilled artistically?

Songwriting would have to be the most fulfilling art form for me. Because writing a new song is like heroin, it’s a different type of high that when I don’t have a new song I feel depressed. I love words; words are so beautiful. It can create so many different emotions and bring imagery. It takes you all over the world without ever leaving home.

Q Can you tell us about your single “Cigarettes” – what was the inspiration behind the song?

“Cigarettes” was inspired by my lifestyle at that point in time. CXC (examinations) was just over and my mother allowed me to go live with my sister and that was pretty exciting because I lived in a rural area and moved to the city and had so much more freedom to do whatever I wanted. I was hanging with a lot of party animals and people that smoked. And I’m allergic to cigarette smoke and I just didn’t want that vibes around me.
Also being very interested in a guy at that point, I kind of mixed the stories together and came up with a beautiful slow tune. While writing it, my brother came into the room and started rapping on it. And it sounded so good that it changed the whole vibe of the song. And it became what is it today.

Q Who did you work with on its production?

How does it feel to hear your song get airplay on local radio? Sheriff Mumble is the producer of this track “Cigarettes”. It feels amazing and strange, I’m happy that I’m making this progress and coming out of my shell and grateful for all the support thus far cause it’s just an exciting experience.

Q You mentioned you are in the process of making the music video – what can we expect?

I hate giving in inside scoop on a work in progress because you can have one idea and end up with something completely different. But you’re sure to experience youthful fun, lots of dancing and expression of making the simple things grand.

Q How would you describe your sound?
How have you developed your style?

I haven’t yet found one word or phrase to describe my sound but it’s definitely a mixture of calypso, pop, jazz, Indian and classical music. Over the years I took music classes, learned piano and pan and the guitar, I kinda learned on my own. I was very influenced by artistes like Amy Winehouse, Lana del Rey, Maroon 5 and Asa just to name a few. So I took what I liked from them and made it my own and brought it home a little bit.

Q What can the public expect at your upcoming show in Fiesta Plaza on August 27?

You can expect a grand performance. I’m going to be doing six covers and six of my very own. I’ll be having a full band, which is going to be great because I’m arranging alongside Jason Dasent who is an amazing musician and producer. Any lover of good music should come out and enjoy a change of the usual concert setting that we have here in Trinidad. I also have three guest performers which would be the second generation, my mother Abbi Blackman, coming out to do two songs along with a little surprise and two young rappers, Jay Nahge and Jimmy October - they just released their EP and are coming to share a little with y’all. I’m not gonna give it all away. We have little surprises in there so you’re gonna have to come out to fully enjoy the experience!

Q What are you feeling while you perform?

Is it different each time? Every performance is different. Depending on my audience I feel different things. If there are many people that I know in the crowd I’m gonna feel a bit nervous but for strangers I’m always more relaxed. But performing is blissful and it makes me feel like I can actually do something or change a life with my voice.

Q Who would you most like to inspire? In what ways?

My goal indeed would be to inspire all people of all ages.
But I’d love to inspire young girls like myself most of all. To show them that we are unstoppable, we can achieve our dreams and we can do anything we want, we just have to want to do it. I wanna inspire by example.

Q What do you consider your greatest strength?

My greatest strength would have to be my ability to channel my emotions into something positive and to connect on an emotional level with my listeners and show them that someone else is going through exactly what they’re going through. And people need that, a friend through song.

Q How would you like to see your career grow?

I want to make amazing music and have the opportunity to have the rest of the world hear it. I want to be the next international sensation: sell records worldwide and represent my country in best way that I can.

Q And what about other aspirations, what do you hope for in the future?

I have my fashion line that I’m yet to launch, in partnership with my mother Abbi Blackman who started Sokah Designs and has given me the opportunity to take it as my own brand.
I sew and design all my stage clothes just so I can have an extra edge and I’m now working towards making more than just for me. I hope that it can make its mark in the fashion world. It’s for the people that dare to be different. I’m also an actress, I’ve been in a couple plays, one being “Ti Jean and His Brothers” by Derek Walcott and smaller ones while going to school. I hope that someday I could act in a movie or even have my own movie.

Q Is there anything fans would you be surprised to know about you?

Well, people consider me to be a very social person but I’m actually not. I’m a very introverted person but I can’t be being an entertainer so I’ve created this whole other person to be able to talk to people and not feel uncomfortable. I never had friends in school, I was always by myself but now I try to be the best social butterfly that I can.

Q Any last words or thoughts you would like to share? I would like to send out love to all my fans and supporters cause they’re the most important part of this journey. Nothing would be possible without them! For those that don’t follow me you can find me at: Twitter: @nailahblackman Instagram: @nailahblackman Facebook: Nailah Blackman Snap chat: @Nailahxoxo You can hear Nailah’s single “Cigarettes” on soundcloud.com, username Nailah Blackman.

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"Q&A Nailah Blackman"

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