Mama, We Made It!

"Just because a person manages to smile and has grace, does not mean they didn't arrive here through blood, sweat, and tears." Growing up in Inglewood, CA, with a large family of 5 sisters, and 5 step-sisters, Nia was the only sibling that was a musician. But it wasn't just about the act of playing music. Nia was into music in a way that was categorized as "other", and didn't have many peers who shared that. There was a strong, emotional connection to music, and as piano became her first real friend, it was the outlet for Nia's feelings. Her father was a music teacher, producer, manager, and had an in-house studio where locals would come and record. But when it came to Nia, he kept music at a distance, almost as a way of protecting her from this notoriously tough business. It wasn't until high school when Nia first got to play with other students - an amazing feeling, but the bar was set extremely high. On top of that, her father was her teacher. Constantly struggling to be heard, Nia