The famous saying, “Don’t judge a book by its’ cover,” truly applies to upcoming R&B vocalist, NBDY, someone who wants to be a dominant force in music.
Music has been second nature for NBDY. He has a family lineage of musicians: his great-grandfather was a jazz musician, his parents were musicians, and his aunt was a jazz singer. Even though NBDY was exposed to music from his relatives, they never got a chance to achieve superstardom. But, NBDY knew it was time for him to break the generational curse and pursue music without trading in his soul or integrity.
He plans to achieve his goal once he signed to Arista Records in 2018. Arista Records is the legendary label that paved the way for acts such as the late Aretha Franklin & Whitney Houston, Usher, P!nk, Monica, to name a few. The label was relaunched recently with a goal of introducing some new blood to the world. NBDY already released his single, “Admissions,” and his musical catalog will continue to expand for everyone.
Singersroom recently caught up with the New Jersey native, who spoke about his artistry, his music, recruitment to the iconic label, and more.
Stage Name, NBDY: I decided on my name because it was a personal matter for me. I knew the name would draw people in and I want my music to have the same effect on people. When you’re a new artist, you’re a nobody because people don’t know who you are right away. You have to make a name for yourself, so you can be recognized. NBDY is my stage name, but I know who I am. I know I have to be my own person and have my own voice so I can last in the business.
Signing to Arista Records: I was working on my EP in LA, and my manager told me that David Massey wanted to speak with me. I knew this was huge because David Massey is a record executive from Arista Records. When I met him, it was an amazing experience, and it changed my perspective about the game. Four weeks later, on September 17, 2018, I signed a deal with Arista Records. It was exciting and I’m looking forward to what’s in store in my future musically. I am just thankful that I’m on a label that invests in artists, music, and development. The deal just kept me motivated and I wanted to grind even harder. My road in music hasn’t always been so easy so signing with Arista Records was truly a blessing.
“Admissions” Single: I started talking about my first heartbreak when I was 18 or 19 years old. I knew the breakup affected me as a whole and I couldn’t even put it into words. But, afterwhile, I was straight up with my words and feelings in the most explicit way. It was important for me to deliver it this way; I was taking listeners back to my experience.
Pursuing a Career in Music: My father was a musician, and he was signed to Sony 20 years ago after meeting Wyclef Jean. But, I started taking music seriously when I started writing and finding my voice. It drove my inspiration to be great and work on my music. When I was 17, music became more of a job versus a hobby, but I still loved music. I was writing music and establishing everything on my own terms. I know the industry can be cutthroat and untrustworthy so I didn’t want to fall under that boat. I had to end musical relationships for those same reasons. I know managers and executives don’t always believe in the artist or their creativity, so it’s important for me to get my point across. I know, in the business, you can create art, but you have to follow your own journey and intuition.
NBDY in 2019: I want to increase the NBDY brand, take it to another level. As an artist, I wanted to reinforce mental health awareness. It is an important issue that needs to be addressed to the public. I want to create an open forum for mental health. I grew up in an urban community where it wasn’t as open as it is today. I just want to shed light on the issue. There are family members of mine in prison, and their mental health has suffered. My dad was a victim of the prison system and it messed up our relationship. I just know if you want to achieve anything in this world, your mental health is important. So, it’s essential for me to grow and keep moving forward as a human being.
Leaving Your Mark in the Business: I just need to be who I am and navigate well in the business. I just need to be genuine, and I just want to roll with people who f*** with me as a person. They appreciate how I move, how I think, how I function, and how I operate. I just want to keep on moving with my music and keep the same people I’ve been rolling with since Day One. I know there are good people in the industry who are about the love of music and respect the artistry.
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