There are two worlds colliding in the recent inspiration that is pushing the latest wave of artists; 90s R&B and ‘00s Disney Channel. Current chart-topper Chappell Roan has been very vocal about Miley Cyrus’ influence on her, but she’s not the only one. There has been a cascade of singers who watched the Disney Channel as a kid, saw Cyrus, and thought, I’m gonna do that! Singers like Nyah Grace. She took her House of Mouse pop and blended it with her ‘90s RB upbringing via her parental units, and translated it into something all her own. We talked about all of the above, as well as her latest, “More,” and well, more!
Kendra: By six you were already determined to be an artist, teaching yourself to play piano. What triggered that response in music for you at such a young age?
Nyah Grace: To be honest, as a kid I wanted to be just like Hannah Montana and Selena Gomez, so I think that’s where my curiosity for music grew. My mom says she vividly remembers me going up to her at age six and asking to take singing lessons. From there I learned simple piano and guitar chords off YouTube and Google Images, and later on at around 11 or 12, I started to get more into jazz and R&B music.
I was also inspired by my great aunt, Michelle, who used to sing background for Chic and the System!
Kendra: Fast forward over a decade later and your debut dropped while you were still in school. Listening to it, you definitely have those Brandy and Monica vibes they delivered at a young age as well. Being Gen Z, did you grow up admiring the R&B royalty that came from the ‘90s?
Nyah Grace: I did! My parents were always big SWV, Tevin Campbell, and Sade fans, and thus I grew up surrounded by those soulful sounds. I try to incorporate those influences into my music now as much as I can, as it still is pretty much all I listen to.
Kendra: A year after your debut you packed a bag and headed from Oregon to Manchester. That’s such a huge move and very admirable. I only went about two hours from home when I was 18 and even that felt insane at times. What about Manchester’s music scene made you feel at home?
Nyah Grace: I’ve always felt at home in the UK, and now feel even more at home in Manchester. The music and arts scene is always flourishing and I feel like there’s a growing niche for my kind of music as well.
Kendra: Fast forward to today and you’ve got “More” and a couple of variations of it out now. Great track that I could see getting on a soundtrack to Issa Rae’s next TV project. Was this a track inspired by real-life love or was your imagination running wild when you stepped in the studio with Dayyon to work on this one?
Nyah Grace: My imagination was definitely running wild! I enjoy putting aspects of myself and my life experiences into my songs, but for the most part, I like to storytell.
Kendra: Speaking of inspiration, you have a few artists you’ve always looked up to; Lauryn Hill, Estelle, and D’Angelo. If you had to choose one of them to duet with, one to tour with, and one to simply cover – which would you pick for each category?
Nyah Grace: D’Angelo to tour with, Lauryn to sing with, and Estelle to cover! But I’d love to say all three for everything if I could.
Kendra: In October you got a chance to play the Beyond The Music Festival. How did that go?!
Nyah Grace: It went really well, thank you! I did an intimate, acoustic set with my guitarist Connor, which I don’t normally do. I usually play with a full band, so it was nice to strip everything back and perform my songs in a new way.
Kendra: Time for a side note – What song would you say you’re more thankful for as a fan of music?
Nyah Grace: “I Can Dream, Can’t I” The Carpenters version. Just an absolutely gorgeous song and arrangement.
Kendra: Lastly, with “More” out now, what are your plans as we head into the winter months and soon, 2025?
Nyah Grace: I’m currently in the process of recording an EP and could not be happier with how it’s going. I’ve got so many exciting plans for live videos and collabs and I can’t wait to release it all out into the world.
