Today we’d like to introduce you to Nia Williams.
Hi Nia, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Hi! I’m Nia Williams. I am a 22-year-old singer/songwriter and content creator/influencer. I first started singing when I was about 4 or 5 years old. That’s when I discovered my passion for music. My nana used to tell me I would step to the beat of music and I would be on rhythm. My mom always called me a superstar because of my passion for music and because of my many talents surrounding music. I would sing around the house, mainly in the garage as I got older. I first taught myself how to play the piano when I was in 6th grade.
My grandfather passed down his piano to my mother and I became obsessed with playing the piano. I taught myself by singing the songs and matching the keys/notes by pressing on the piano keys. Not long after that, my mom put me in voice and piano lessons. She truly saw what I had as a gift. I first started lessons in 6-8 grade. I also played the clarinet in 6th grade so I taught myself to read music with other instruments. I joined choir in middle school and I had all sorts of performances and recitals.
My love for singing/music has grown ever since. I always struggled with stage fright because I knew I had a talent but I was so shy in front of an audience. I joined this musical group outside of school called 1-2-3 Action and that grew my confidence in performing on a stage. I did 3 musicals, wizard of oz which I played Glenda, legally blonde which whom I played Whitney and also a perfume seller. I also did Seussical a musical and I played one of the bird girls. All 3 musicals I played introduced me to Broadway and acting.
I loved it and I knew I wanted to be a singer and actress. Doing that plus Choir in school and singing/piano lessons after school kept me learning and growing with music. To me, it’s not just about the doing. It’s how it makes me feel while doing it. Music is therapy for me. It makes me feel like I am in a whole different world. I began writing music when I was in middle school. Instead of using my notebooks for school homework, I used them to write all my songs. I have over 5+ notebooks filled with songs.
If there was anything I was feeling, I knew I would write it into a song. In high school, I joined drama class and voice and dance class where I acted, sang, danced, wrote, and improved. I also did majorette dancing in 11th-12th grade year and I realized I could do it all. After graduating high school, I went to AMDA (American Music and Dramatic Academy) where I majored in Musical theatre. Although my time in college was cut short due to Covid, I never let it stop me from doing what I love. AMDA opened doors for other opportunities for me for example going to premieres, going to the AMAs, and seeing celebrities in their natural elements performing onstage.
However, after 6 months at AMDA, I ended up leaving due to Covid. I decided to pursue my dreams in music as a recording artist vs. Broadway. I dropped my first single “Move On” in May 2021. This song captures heartbreak, betrayal, and release so that I can move on. I dropped my second single “Mistreated” in 2022. This song captures the depth of being in a relationship while being mistreated and realizing who I am. Although I haven’t dropped any other songs since I am always writing and singing.
I did take a break to pursue content creation and I found another source of happiness. I realized I don’t have to be boxed in and that I can do more than just music. I started content creation on TikTok in 2020 but I started taking it seriously in 2022. I created my first YouTube channel in January 2023 and I already have almost 500 subscribers. I create lifestyle content, fashion, cooking videos, and more. I realized I felt free being able to be myself on a camera. It’s liberating. I recently got a brand deal where I got paid to promote clothes. I felt like I was finally being seen and I felt honored that someone saw my content as valuable to their brand.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I believe everyone has struggles. My journey has not been a smooth one. Nobody’s life is perfect. I struggled a lot with an identity crisis. I grew up not knowing what I wanted and what I should do because I always worried about what others would think of me. I struggled a lot with trying to please others and I lost myself in the process.
I questioned if I should even pursue singing. I questioned myself a lot. This journey isn’t an easy one and I realized I couldn’t bring everyone with me. I lost a lot of people in my life that affected me and I felt alone at one point. One thing that kept me going was my siblings. I wanted to be a good example for them. I am the middle child out of 5 kids and I still have a sense of duty to show them I can do it. I used to blame everything on Covid because 2020 was the year that changed my life.
I caught Covid, I had to leave my dream college, in and out of jobs, lose friends and family members, and move out of my childhood home into a new home. It was a transitional year I will say. I do not like change so it felt like my world was being turned upside down. For me, the struggles were mental. I realized I needed to take better care of my mental health in 2020-2021 because I would get depressed at times thinking about what I could’ve had or what I don’t have.
Comparing myself to the world, wanting to live up the the standards of the world. I learned I needed to listen to me and learn to love myself. I tapped into my spirituality more in 2020 and started growing out of toxic traits and habits that held me back. I realized it was me holding myself back.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a singer, songwriter, and content creator. Growing up, I would always go into the garage and just sing or write. It was my outlet. I felt better after a long day or after crying. When I perform or make a song, I realize this is my purpose. This is what God has in store for me. I realized I could do it all. I think I’m known for being an advocate. I want equality.
I aim for everything and everyone to be fair. I’m also known for being very empathetic and I believe it shows in my music. I want people to feel heard and seen. I want them to listen to my music and understand I feel their pain. I want them to feel happy that someone is saying what they’re feeling and to know they’re not alone. I want people to watch my YouTube videos and realize I am human just like them. I want them to see that I understand too and I can relate. I can be very inspirational. I want people to know their worth.
If you ask anyone that knows me they’ll tell you I always make sure they know who they are and remind them that they can do anything they put their mind to. I grew up struggling with mental health, self-esteem issues, lack of confidence. I want the younger girls who were my age when I felt like this to feel seen and heard and to learn that it’s okay to put themselves first. I love helping people. It gives me peace knowing I was able to help someone mentally, physically, spiritually, or emotionally. I am most proud of my empathy and being able to share my story with the world. I grew up not feeling seen and being able to say all this now is healing.
It healing my inner child. What sets me apart from others is my healing nature. The way I can inspire someone to do what they’ve always wanted to do. I set goals for myself and I intend to achieve them. I also feel that my positivity sets me apart from others. Although I struggled with my mental health I never gave up hope and I always made sure no one else did too. I always made sure everyone around me thought positive thoughts.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
I believe luck has to do with your mindset. It took me a while to realize it but I don’t believe I have good luck or bad luck. I believe that if I truly believe something is for me, it will happen. For example, if I continue to put out good energy behind a manifestation I believe it will happen and come to me. If I’m doubtful and doing one thing and saying another, I believe it won’t happen.
For a while, it felt like I had bad luck and I was waiting for something good to happen to me but I realized that in my mind I felt undeserving, so it didn’t happen for me. Once I started working on my mindset and how I view things, everything changed for me. I started opening myself up to receiving so much more than I could think of.
Pricing:
- My music is free on all platforms except iTunes!! Each song is $0.99
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/NiaImanii
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/vibewith.niaaa
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@niaimanixo?si=3kQv-YcBc_1hhDAT
Image Credits
@fromheavensview, @hillfordave, and @shotsbyquis
