We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nydia Plumley. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nydia below.

Alright, Nydia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

According to my parents, I requested to learn the piano at age 3. I grew up in Trinidad and while there, I took ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal School of Music) piano exams and did well. When we moved to Atlanta (I was 13), I won a promotional contest for a guitar supposedly owned by Blues Saraceno. I took guitar private guitar lessons. While in high school I learned the bells, xylophone, marimba, chimes, trumpet (I hated that), and timpani (wasn’t very good at that). I got into Berklee as a guitar performance major, but then switched to voice principle.
Knowing what I know now, I sometimes wish I’d stuck with guitar as principle or at least doubled up. I think my awe of being on my own and submerged in such a rich musical environment had my heart and mind going in so many different directions, I, in some ways, stood in my own way.

Nydia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I started writing my own music while in college. And then I stopped for many years. Life just got in the way. After college, a friend I met there who was also from
Atlanta helped get me a job teaching private music lessons. After 5 years, I opened my own studio in Snellville. It was very exciting and terrifying at the same time. I also went back to school and earned an associate’s in business administration. I figured if I’m going to open a business I should probably know a thing or two.
Then I started having the itch to record some stuff and I met this amazing person, Justin Gorun, who got me started recording my music. This also got me excited to teach my students how to write their own songs as well. I showed them how to write their sheet music and I had it printed and published in a book for them.
I started performing my original music at open mics with backing tracks I’d produced. People seemed to like it. I was always nervous! My friend Grace Newton gave me my first real show. Then of course, life got in the way. But the more I did it the more I wanted. I wanted to perform my music with a live band. I wanted a heavy rock/metal band. And not musicians for hire but a band! I guess I’m old school that way.
After many years of performing solo, my current husband encouraged me to ask a former piano student of mine to join in on a band with me. He picked up the bass which I’ve been teaching him. A co-worker of mine hopped on drums and in Jan 2023, The Unknown was born. We played our first show at Furnace41 in Jonesboro, GA. After performing at Blackstrap in Gainesville,GA I was offered a job to teach piano and voice at Let There Be Rock School. Things were good. We were gigging like crazy. Word was getting out about us.
Jan 2024 brought about a lot of change. Family illness. Financial struggles. New band members. New music. New projects (Seraphym Band). The school I work for during the week (Gwinnett School of Music, Grayson and Lilburn locations) changed ownership in 2023 and there were still some kinks being worked out. I can’t say juggling being a mom of 3 (Jordan 21, Faelynne 19 & Tristan 5), working at 3 lesson locations, writing and performing music regularly with the band, being the band’s booker and social media person etc, and being a wife has been easy. In fact, this year has definitely had its highs and lows. But I must say, I LOVE this musician life!
I love the students who I’ve taught who are now teachers themselves! I love inspiring the younger generations in lessons and when they see me perform. I love that look on a student’s face when something finally clicks for them. I love when someone tells me my music touched them or made them FEEL after a show. And I have SO much more to learn from this way of life. It is hectic, but I love it!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

One thing I’ve had to struggle with is people’s narrow perspective of what a heavy rock/metal artist is supposed to look like. I’ve always loved heavier music and I’ve always caught slack about it. From minorities accusing me of wanting to or trying to be white to white people doubting me and my skills in general. It’s one of the reasons it took me so long to form a band.
I’ve now met more people who are more open minded and it has been absolutely wonderful see the surprise and joy on faces at shows.
I remember in 2023, I reached out to a venue with the spiel and photo I sent out and we were turned down with the venue saying they weren’t an r&b venue that I should try xy&z. This venue didn’t even take the time to listen to the song links I’d included. After I pointed out their mistake, they quickly apologized, and offered us a show, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t leave me feeling some sort of way. I met the same sort of assumptions while teaching a summer camp at the Gainesville school, but again, once I’d shown that I know my rock and metal all was love and roses.
I do hate that in 2024, this is still a thing. Especially in an industry like music. It baffles me.
I have to say, throughout the years, the most rewarding thing(s) have been when I “surprise” people with my vocal range, musical range (styles), authenticity and musical knowledge. I love inspiring people. I love opening minds to “different” and “new”. If I’ve done any of those things in a day, then it was a good day. Mission accomplished.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Anytime I’ve faced financial struggle, you’d be surprised by how many non-creatives first response is for me to give up music. Get a regular 9-5, stop performing.
The idea of that literally turns my stomach and breaks my heart. Music isn’t just something I do. It is literally part of who I am.
How do I explain to someone that music gets me through everything? Either by writing or listening. How do I explain that sometimes the only way for me to express how I feel about something is to write a song about it?
Most recently, music has been getting me through a rather traumatic experience. New music has been born from it. Lyrically I think some of my better work. Music is its own form of therapy. The rewards outweigh the struggles. At least for me.
We have this one life to live. I don’t want to be in misery for the sake of a “more stable” income. The way I see how things are now, nothing is truly stable. The idea of “job security” as it once was is no longer. I love what I do. Even when I get frustrated with the students. I want them to succeed. I want them to learn tools that will not only help them with music but in life. Don’t give up just because things get hard. Don’t settle for mediocrity. Don’t get stuck in a box. Try new things etc.
These things bring me so much joy, I can’t even put it more eloquently.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.unknownalt?igsh=MWJ0eWtpOWRpZzBqMA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theunknownalt?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/iboFkjLe4Ae2kzsDA
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1I22znjglBZvLgiZlL8X4k?si=CMrInRDHS7ScWG8dYffiYw

Image Credits

Katherine Bishop photography
Master Jaron photography
The Pulse of Rock photography