We lately had a chance to interview Nivea on Instagram Reside. Throughout our dialog, we talked about Nivea’s newest album “Mirrors”. We additionally mirrored again on profession which incorporates three studio albums and a handful of hits. We talk about the work she did along with her ex-husband and hit songwriter The-Dream. Lastly we discuss what she has within the close to future which features a new leisure firm and presumably a brand new album from her alter ego Randy Watson.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Discuss your early beginnings with Noontime. I do know you have been closely working with Bryan-Michael Cox and Jagged Edge at first.
Nivea: Previous to assembly them, I used to be really a part of Organized Noize once I was 15. I had a supervisor that obtained me out of that scenario and we moved over to Noontime. They have been an incredible firm that represented a number of songwriters and producers just like the twins from Jagged Edge, Johnta Austin, Teddy Bishop, J. Que Smith and B-Cox. I used to be 17 at the moment and that’s the place “Don’t Mess With My Man” got here from. I did my report deal once I was 18 and that music was included on my album. Noontime had a complete crew of expertise.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Discuss why there are two totally different variations of “Don’t Mess With My Man”.
Nivea: The model that got here out shouldn’t be a special vocal model, however it’s a special musical model. I used to be 16 once I did that music and it didn’t come out till I used to be 19, so Bryan wished to redo the music as a result of it sounded a bit dated. I like the unique one. Lots of people say that they like the unique over the remix. Both approach, Bryan is unbelievable. The one which was launched was a more moderen model.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Alongside along with your songs that you just created with the Noontime crew, you had data with The Neptunes and R. Kelly in your debut album.
Nivea: My label on the time Jive additionally represented them. The Neptunes have been beginning a manufacturing cope with them on the time and I used to be simply lucky to be one of many artists that started working with them.
YouKnowIGotSoul: The lead single “Don’t Mess With The Radio” is loads totally different than the remainder of the album, so discuss that music.
Nivea: That music was on my demo that I did with Organized Noize. It was really very City, however it wasn’t obtained that approach once I was introduced up. I feel it was extra due to my picture with the coloured hair, so individuals checked out it extra like Pop. Should you take heed to it now, it’s very City. I didn’t gravitate in direction of City till “Don’t Mess With My Man” got here out.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Take me again to your second album “Difficult” album. That album had a few of The-Dream’s earliest placements.
Nivea: “Difficult” was a really particular album to me. My ex-husband The-Dream and I completed that up collectively. I wrote a number of private truths on that report. The-Dream had the Britney Spears and Madonna music, some B2K data after which my music “Okay”. That report particularly launched him, however it wasn’t till he obtained “Umbrella” by Rihanna that folks realized how nice he’s. I’m simply actual lucky individuals nonetheless love my music in spite of everything this time.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Your third album “Animalistic” album was so forward of its time. I don’t suppose it’s obtainable on any streaming platforms although!
Nivea: It’s obtainable on Amazon. I used to be a brand new mother at that time and my physique was altering. My voice wasn’t the identical, so I don’t like my vocal efficiency on that album as a lot I’d have appreciated in my previous and current. Nonetheless that album represents a time the place The-Dream was thriving as a songwriter. Should you take heed to “Animalistic”, you may hear the whole lot Rihanna and Beyonce ended up doing. It was The-Dream realizing the right way to inform a narrative and make it enjoyable. He was coming into his personal as a songwriter. I feel I carried out poorly vocally on that report, however you may’t deny that the data have been dope. I’m nonetheless happy with him as a result of that album was his child. He did a number of that himself.
YouKnowIGotSoul: You’re most likely some of the underrated of your period simply by way of your music and expertise.
Nivea: I take it with a grain of salt as a result of it’s true, however you even have to contemplate the time. We didn’t have the management artists have now. There’s totally different retailers so that you can achieve success as an impartial artist. All we had was magazines and also you wanted a giant company to place you on. Now you may go on social media and make it work. None of that existed and I used to be thriving earlier than MySpace. I’m studying to navigate the music business proper now. It’s dope however it’s totally different. Generally it’s a bit tedious as a result of it permits so many new artists to get in as a result of there are such a lot of methods. I’m seeing much more competitors than earlier than and it’s arduous to maintain individuals targeted. That’s not the period I come from.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Discuss concerning the Randy Watson venture that you just have been engaged on a couple of years again.
Nivea: Like Beyonce had Sasha Fierce, this was an alter ego for me. My father is a musician and he can play devices. I used to be launched to each style of music due to him. Lots of people don’t know I’m into Rock, Nation and Techno. Once I was going via my divorce, I used to be simply impressed to create. My dad performed the guitar and I’d sing. It was all recorded on my laptop computer, however it was actual and the songs are dope. I nonetheless plan on releasing it, however the battle is whether or not I ought to redo it or go away it as uncooked as doable. You’ll be able to hear buses driving by within the recordings proper now. *Laughs* I really prefer to seize the authenticity and I don’t need to mess with it, however it’s a battle. I additionally need to proceed with R&B after which slowly introduce the acoustic stuff. I nonetheless plan on doing Randy Watson, however you must take note of the occasions. I did “Mirrors” and it did nicely. Not in addition to I’d have hoped, however it let me know that I have to pursue my different passions like my leisure firm and different enterprise ventures.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Discuss your newest album “Mirrors” as a result of that got here out of nowhere.
Nivea: I had been going via a number of stuff. I used to be like “The place do I slot in?”. I used to be so lucky that folks have been like “I nonetheless take heed to your music”. I used to be like “Do you understand how lengthy that was?”. Who expects their data to final that lengthy? That was what pushed me to do “Mirrors”. Life had me in a special house musically and I wasn’t impressed. I obtained via that by assembly followers and my kids encouraging me to get again on the market and I did it.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Discuss your new leisure firm.
Nivea: I simply began it, it’s referred to as A.T.E. (All Issues Leisure). I symbolize expertise till a sure level simply so I can put that on and navigate them to an even bigger place of their careers. I’m enthusiastic about that. It’s a giant ardour of mine. I like to vocal produce and put a artist’s complete venture collectively. In addition to doing that, I’ve been impressed to do some new music as nicely.