Today we’d like to introduce you to Nami Dae.
Hi Nami, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in a family where everyone did music, or at least understood it. My dad was the music director at our church, my mom was a music teacher, and all my other family members were working musicians, so I was always surrounded by opportunities to learn music and sing with my family. Car rides consisted of sing-alongs where I was encouraged to find my own part, completing our three-to-four-part harmonies. And as everyone always had a show or gig, I grew up always on the go, the kid constantly surrounded by revered musicians and performers. I realize now that I was soaking up all of those concerts and jam sessions like a sponge, and some of the things I saw then find their way into my music and performances.
I was raised in Maplewood, New Jersey, which is a town that is very invested in the arts. I was very involved in the music program, from conducting the orchestra to arranging some of the music that the acapella group sang. During the day, I was always in choir class, and at night, I was either in rehearsal for a musical or church for the choir rehearsal my parents led. Eventually, all of those skills came in handy when I went to Berklee College of Music. It was there that I got to meet a lot of my close friends and collaborators that I work with today. I was surrounded by great singers and musicians that kept me on toes, but I was also learning a lot from the rappers and producers I was around. They were the ones that showed my how I could transfer my skills as a storyteller and poet to songwriting.
I left Berklee in 2020 during the pandemic and moved back home. It was at that time that I got closer to my main producer, Os Young. We would FaceTime and create music together from across the country, sharing recording tips and artistic visions. My mental health wasn’t the best at that time, but through all of our calls, we made and released my EP “Water,” which was a peek into some of the things I was going through in seclusion in New Jersey. I realized how much more I could get done if I was in the same place as my collaborators, so I finally moved to LA halfway through 2023. I’ve been learning a lot about myself while I’ve been here, and it definitely will show in my new music.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road definitely has not been smooth. I had a lot of self-doubt about sharing my music with the world at first because I really didn’t think I had anything to say. I also didn’t think people would wanna hear or relate to what I was talking about. Part of being an artist is being willing to figure out who you are in front of the world, and I didn’t know if I was ready for such a task. Writing music is very cathartic to me, so sometimes I can’t help but share some very personal thoughts and topics. However, I have been shown overwhelming love from people regarding my music because of its vulnerability and transparency. As I grow as a writer and as a person, I am becoming more comfortable sharing my story because I now realize its ability to help other people that are going through similar things.
I have also hit slumps in my writing where I don’t like anything I’m creating, and that definitely takes a toll on my confidence. But sometimes the answer to those creative droughts is to go live more life to get new inspiration. Because of all of the new things I’ve gotten to experience since moving to LA, my life has become more colorful and given me more to write about. Being in LA has also been a really great place for me to find people that make me feel safe being myself. I have found artists and producers that have shown me so much love, and I learn more and more from them every day. Music is always more fun to make with other amazing creatives, and I’m very happy that I get to do that more often now.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Growing up, I was a headphone kid. Music was always my escape from everything else going on in life. It made me feel a wide range of intense emotions, and I still chase that feeling to this day. So, when I make music, I want people to listen to it and feel the way I felt making it. I really like making worlds with my songs, and so I do a lot of text painting. I also work with my producers on sound design so that it has the same effect as the topic I’m writing about. For example, one of my songs, “Sonic Wave,” is about an experience I had during a panic attack, so throughout the song, we add more and more sounds so that the listener can start feeling overwhelmed as I did at that moment. I like when a song is layered because you find something new to love the more you listen. So that’s what I try to do with my music.
Something else I’m known for is my background vocal writing. Coming from a background of choirs and acapella groups, I have discovered how vocals can add texture and drama to a song. It can truly take things to another level if done properly. I think people forget that the voice can be used for more than just singing lyrics. It can also be used as an instrument to add sounds to music that you can’t find anywhere else. There are a lot of times people ask about where I found certain sounds in my songs, not realizing that I sang them myself. I’m a very curious person, so I try to imitate a lot of the sounds I hear in my everyday life. It always starts with the thought, “That sound is crazy. Can I do that?” And some of the things that have come from that have made their way into my music.
What’s next?
I have a song coming out on March 1st called “Quite Alright” that I’m really excited for people to hear. It’s definitely different than what I’ve been putting out recently, but I feel like it will connect my old music to some of the new things that are coming in the future. I also plan on having more live performances now that I’m out in LA, which is exciting. I’ve been working with some really dope artists lately, so there will be some new collabs coming out in the near future.
I’ve learned so much about myself since I’ve moved to LA. There is a lot to talk about, so I’ve been working on a few different projects. Most of my previous music was about things that I was dealing with in isolation during the pandemic, but now I find myself talking more about life lessons and interactions I’ve had with others. With those new topics comes a new, refreshing sound that I’m excited to share with everyone. I’ve really been experimenting with genres lately, so I’m intrigued to see what everyone thinks. I’m also gonna be posting more content on my new YouTube page, so lookout for that as well!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nami.dae
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nami_dae
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/amanda_bradshaw?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Image Credits
Matt Mahjoub
Shane Njoloma
Devin Smith
