Meet Naimah Muhammad

Today we’d like to introduce you to Naimah Muhammad.

So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Music has been a part of my life literally since the beginning. I remember playing my toy guitar at four years old until the strings popped off (and even then, continued to play it until I was forced to throw it away); I remember playing Donna Lewis’ “I Love You Always Forever” on my cassette-player to and from kindergarten; I remember making my mom and any guests she had over sit in the living room and listen to me sing “My Heart Will Go On”; I remember listening to Elliott Smith’s “Between the Bars” in 8th grade and deciding in that moment that I wanted to be a songwriter no matter what. I’ve stuck to it ever since.

The pivotal moment that propelled me from music as a hobby to a career was in 2013, after just graduating from USC, when Billboard’s editorial director at the time, Bill Werde, selected the song I had just released, Wolf and I, in a twitter contest online. Honestly, I didn’t even know this contest was going on at the time, but I have a friend to thank for being in the loop and sharing my song with him. After that came the press, performances, songwriting, and recording opportunities. And, with a team of only me and my mom, it was a quick learning curve on how to be your own everything.

It was just enough of a push to get me going on the path I’m building upon today. After some time away from LA to pursue music on the east coast—where, among many highlights, my songwriting team wrote a winning song in the 2016 International Songwriting Competition, and I was an invited guest at President Obama’s Iftar dinner at the White House due to my community outreach and leadership as a musician—I’m back in Los Angeles, where I’ve been based for the last year and a half. In addition to working with developing artists, I work with songwriting/production teams Astana Music—a new record and production company created by legendary producer & Grammy-winning songwriter George Brown (founding member of Kool & the Gang), and The Element—a team made up of Grammy-winning songwriters, musicians and engineers.

The journey has been the result of me and my mom pushing forward as a two-woman team trying to make this happen in my life. Along the way I’ve built relationships, mentors, and learned from everyone I’ve come into contact with. I’m grateful to see the work and consistency pay off to illuminate opportunities everyday, no matter how small or how big.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My journey as a singer-songwriter has had its challenges. I remember being in New York, sitting in the office of the president of BMI for a meeting Kenny Gamble had set up. This moment might have seemed like one of those pivotal life-changing events, and it was—but not for reasons you might expect. The moment I sat down in front of him he said to me: Kenny might have set up the meeting, but he can’t do the work for you. My success, my growth, would come from me and me alone; how hard was I willing to work for what I wanted to achieve?

As Kenny, his colleague, and numerous industry people have told me: my success would not come easy, and not necessarily quickly either. It’s taken years of persistence, consistency, building, and planting seeds to grow the solid foundation I’m now building upon in Los Angeles.

The pop music industry I’m in is not really built to support artists who aren’t extreme in some way or another. They make it alluring to see the quick rise of sensationalist artists, but I know that isn’t me, and that’s not my music. My heart is in music that can stand the test of time and can truly provide purpose in someone’s life, just as I’m seeking purpose in mine. I find support and encouragement from those looking for an artist with substance, and I stay guided by my inner-voice and the intuition I listen to know when something connects with my natural state, and when it doesn’t.

I love what I do, and watching each achievement, no matter how small, leads to another door opening. And, when one door closes, or I receive criticism on work I’ve produced, I’ve learned how to truly reflect on it and learn from whatever valuable information is gained from the experience. The number of hurt feelings I’ve experienced have taught me at the end of the day I can’t take it personally. And if I want to succeed, which I do, I owe it to myself let go of any bruised ego and take each moment as an opportunity to learn. Lifting that weight from myself has allowed me to enjoy the journey and its challenges and achievements.

What else should our readers know?
I’m a recording artist and songwriter. My style is influenced by pop, r&b, and folk music and a yearning to capture moments in time through catchy melodies.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
After God, for guiding my spirit along the way, my mom deserves the greatest credit for being my number one supporter, cheerleader, and motivator. She doesn’t fail to push me when I need it and to express how proud she is when I need that too. She has helped me navigate the vast music industry to identify the right contacts, the right opportunities, and find help when I need it.

My SESAC (special shout-out to Trevor Gale) and Women In Music family have also been instrumental as a support system and resource recently. They’ve provided spaces to network with like-minded creatives, and have never ceased to provide information or guidance.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.naimahmusic.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naimahmusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naimahmusic

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