Nia J’s Musical Journey: From Inspiration to Stardom

Key Takeaways

• Nia J’s return to music began after stepping away from singing during college.
• Her first album, Melomania, grew out of a period of uncertainty and an intense connection to music.
• “20 and 5” explores the confusion and growing pains of being in your twenties.
• Nia credits her parents’ support as an important part of her development as an artist.
• Her songwriting can begin with something as simple as piano, guitar, a pen and paper—or even a napkin at a coffee shop.
• Rabbit Hole explored coming of age, identity, relationships and difficult personal experiences.
• Touring independently required Nia to build relationships with venues and artists herself.
• Collaboration and community have become important parts of her artistic journey.
• Nia wants to incorporate more dancing and movement into her live performances.
• Cher, Queen, Harry Styles and Olivia Rodrigo are among the artists who have influenced different aspects of her creative world.
• Her upcoming music promises a more colorful, playful and energetic side of Nia J.
• Her long-term goal is to keep growing as an artist, deepen her connection to Charlotte and eventually take her music on a larger tour.

Nia J Opens Up About Melomania, Growing Into Her Sound, and Finding Her Place in Charlotte’s Music Scene

On this episode of rBeatz.com’s Local Music Somewhere, host Annaliese Pearl sits down with Charlotte singer-songwriter Nia J for a conversation that moves well beyond the release of an album. Nia talks openly about finding her way back to music, the personal experiences behind Melomania, touring as an independent artist, songwriting, performance, creative confidence, and where she hopes her music will take her next.

The conversation has the easy energy of two artists talking about music rather than a formal interview. Annaliese brings genuine enthusiasm and plenty of thoughtful reactions, while Nia is candid, funny, reflective, and occasionally self-deprecating as she talks about everything from perfectionism to wanting to bring more dancing and color into her performances.

Nia J’s Journey Back to Music

Nia’s professional music journey may have begun around 2019 or 2020, but music had been part of her life long before that. She grew up singing, participating in talent shows, competitive choir and musicals before stepping away from music when she went to UNC Charlotte to study business.

A talent show eventually changed the trajectory.

Nia was encouraged by friends to perform, and she connected with Ike, also known as Becky, who played guitar with her. What began as a talent-show performance developed into songwriting, collaboration and eventually a larger creative circle that included Tajani.

That return to music became a turning point. Nia describes the experience as finally realizing that she could write songs and that music could become something more than something she had done growing up.

From Perfectionism to Putting the Music Out

One of the most relatable parts of Nia’s story is her struggle with perfectionism. She explains that she had convinced herself for years that she couldn’t write, and that fear of not being good enough may have contributed to her hesitation to pursue music seriously.

The advice she received from her father became something she carried into her career: stop waiting for everything to be perfect and start working with what you have.

That philosophy now influences how Nia approaches her art. Rather than waiting for the perfect moment or a completely finished vision, she recognizes that putting something into the world can allow it to reach the people who need to hear it.

The Story Behind Nia J’s Melomania

Released in June 2024, Melomania is more than simply a collection of songs for Nia. The album emerged from a period when she felt low, uncertain and intensely focused on music.

The title itself reflects that relationship. Nia explains that Melomania refers to being obsessed or infatuated with music, which captured where she was emotionally at the time.

“It’s like everything else is chaotic, and the music world is chaotic, but I know I love music, and that’s what I’m kind of wrapped up in at the time.”

That emotional contradiction is important to understanding the album. There is uncertainty, disappointment and introspection throughout Melomania, but there is also humor, confidence, romance and the determination to keep moving.

“20 and 5” and the Reality of Your Twenties

For both Nia and Annaliese, “20 and 5” becomes one of the emotional centerpieces of the conversation.

Nia describes the song as being about the uncertainty of your twenties, growing into yourself and trying to move forward while still figuring out who you are. The song also carries a sense of disappointment and longing for a version of yourself you haven’t quite reached yet.

The track is especially meaningful because Nia’s father connected with it despite being decades removed from his own twenties. That experience reinforced something Nia hopes listeners will discover throughout her music: the emotions don’t necessarily belong to one specific age.

Annaliese makes it clear that the song resonated personally with her as well, describing how strongly she connected with its emotional weight.

A Different Side of Nia J: “Fangirl,” “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and More

One of the fun parts of the interview is hearing Nia break down the individual songs on Melomania.

“Fangirl” brings out a cheekier, more playful side of her personality. Nia admits that she doesn’t normally write quite that frivolously, but she clearly enjoys the freedom of letting herself be a little more of a diva.

Interestingly, the song came together while she was working at a coffee shop and writing on a napkin.

“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” takes that playful energy even further. Nia wanted to create something funky, groovy and not overly serious—a song designed simply to make people want to move and have a good time.

The accompanying music video continues that idea. Nia and friends created a colorful, playful visual experience involving bathing suits, flower-covered hats and a pool, despite the fact that they filmed it in freezing weather.

The Stories Behind the Songs

The track-by-track discussion reveals just how varied the emotional world of Melomania really is.

• “Melomania” explores ambition, frustration and the feeling of constantly needing to keep moving.
• “Fangirl” embraces Nia’s playful and diva-like side.
• “Birth of Phoenix” draws from the euphoric feeling of becoming infatuated with someone.
• “Lemonade” is one of Nia’s oldest songs, originally written while she was in college before eventually becoming a collaboration with Becky.
• “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” is about embracing a danceable, carefree energy.
• “Let It Be” draws from Nia’s love of folk music and a desire to finally let something go.
• “Imposter” reflects the uncertainty Nia experienced after moving away from Charlotte and questioning whether she was still truly an artist.
• “20 and 5” captures the uncertainty, growing pains and emotional confusion of being in your twenties.
• “Encore” brings the album together with a message about continuing through life’s highs and lows, picking up the pieces and finding joy again.

Nia J’s Earlier Rabbit Hole EP Was More Intimate

Before Melomania, Nia released the 2021 EP Rabbit Hole, which represented a different period in her artistic development.

Nia describes the project as a coming-of-age experience. She used the music to explore figuring herself out, sexuality, anxiety, depression and other personal struggles.

The darker emotional material was balanced by love and connection, particularly because Nia had met the woman who would eventually become her wife around that time.

The title track remains particularly meaningful because Nia believes listeners can recognize themselves in its internal struggles. That ability to make someone feel seen is one of the strongest threads running through Nia’s approach to songwriting.

Touring as an Independent Artist

Nia also gives Annaliese an honest look at what independent touring actually involves.

Rather than having a large team handling every detail, Nia had to reach out to venues, research artists, listen to a huge amount of music and figure out where she and her collaborators could create good shows.

The tour took her through North Carolina and Virginia, while also giving her an opportunity to travel with Tajani, Ike, friends and their wives—the group’s jokingly named “wife groupies.”

For Nia, the experience wasn’t simply about performing. It was about building relationships with artists and venues in other cities and potentially creating connections that could continue into the future.

She hopes her next tour can grow beyond the DIY approach and eventually include touring with a larger artist.

Finding Community Is Part of Building a Music Career

For independent artists trying to figure out where to start, Nia’s advice is straightforward: don’t try to carry everything alone.

She emphasizes finding people who share your vision and who are willing to support you while you support them. Her own journey with Ike, Tajani, her wife and her broader creative circle demonstrates why those relationships matter.

“Because I feel like it’s hard to do alone.”

For Nia, collaboration isn’t only about making songs. It’s also about having people to share the exciting moments with—and people who understand the difficult moments when the music business becomes overwhelming.

Nia J Wants to Bring More Movement Into Her Live Shows

Another particularly interesting part of the conversation is Nia’s relationship with performance.

She’s primarily focused on singing when she’s on stage, although she has experimented with guitar, wants to eventually play keys and has also explored choreography.

Annaliese encourages her to lean into the singer-dancer side of her identity rather than worrying about whether there is already an obvious niche for that combination within Charlotte’s independent music scene.

Nia’s inspiration comes partly from performers who command the entire stage, including Freddie Mercury and Queen. She also points to Cher as a major current inspiration, particularly her unapologetic personality, visual style and costumes.

That influence appears to be carrying into Nia’s next creative era.

A More Colorful and Playful Era Is Coming

Nia hints that her upcoming music will feel different.

She’s working on a new song that she describes as more frivolous and fun than what she typically writes, and she’s developing a video concept around it. She also recently worked with Ike and Tajani on new photos that she hopes will represent the group well and connect with the fun songs she has planned.

Visually, Nia says she’s ready for more color, more life and more movement.

She’s also ready to dance.

That shift feels significant because so much of Melomania deals with uncertainty, self-questioning and the pressure to keep moving forward. Her next chapter seems poised to embrace enjoyment and self-expression a little more freely.

What’s Next for Nia J?

When Annaliese asks where Nia sees herself in five years, her answer isn’t about becoming someone completely different.

Instead, Nia wants to become more connected to Charlotte’s music community, continue releasing music, grow as an artist and eventually take on a larger formal tour.

Most importantly, she wants to continue figuring out who she is, what she wants to say and how her music can help or inspire other people.

That may be the clearest through-line in the entire conversation. From Rabbit Hole to Melomania and whatever comes next, Nia J is using music as a way to understand herself while creating space for other people to recognize themselves in the process.