Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mía Nalaíde. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Mía, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

I love this question because it gives me the perfect opportunity to tell you all how Mía Nalaíde was born.
My birth name is Tamia Niambi Aldridge.
I was named after the singer Tamia. My middle name is Swahili and it translates to “Melody.” Finally, I’ve taken my dad’s last name.
I believe I was a freshman or a sophomore in high school when I created this alter ego. I had this unconfident idea that I wanted to pursue music and one day I thought that if I were going to pursue music, I needed to start coming up with brand ideas. At first, I was drawing clothing designs for merchandise, but then I took a break and started thinking about a name for myself. I know the entire meaning of my name because even at a younger age I wanted to know what my name meant, first to last. I wanted my whole name to be included, but I always felt that my real name was kind of plain, so I decided to spice it up. I went from Tamia to Mia. Then, with my middle and last name, I stacked them on top of each other and started deleting every other letter. That’s how I got Nalaide. I said it a few times in my head and then out loud, but it wasn’t ringing like I wanted it to.. the next day I went to school and told a few close friends about the name and they liked it, but I don’t think they were feeling it. I was learning Spanish at the time, so later that day, I had the crazy idea of adding accent marks over the “I” in both names. That would keep people from calling me Maya and it helped me give the last name an exotic ring. From there, I developed a whole new identity. Mía Nalaíde is a lyrical genius. She’s confident, daring, professional, knows what she wants and she’s a go-getter. All the same things that Tamia is, but Mía is the voice that Tamia could never express. Tamia was always quiet, reserved, the black sheep, athletic and a popular loner. Not really everyone’s cup of tea. Mía became everyone’s dream girl. Someone that people could hardly get enough of.

Mía, 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?

Mía Nalaíde is a rising artist from Paris, Tennessee, now based in Murfreesboro, TN. Known for her ability to seamlessly combine rap and melodic vocals, she stands out with a raw, emotionally-driven style. Her music delves into personal themes, including love, heartbreak, resilience, and self-discovery, often inspired by her own struggles navigating life and the challenges of the music industry.

Mía’s career reflects a deep sense of independence. She emphasizes self-reliance in building her brand, recognizing that industry connections can help but insisting on putting in the hard work herself. With songs like “Overdose” and “Scarred,” she explores both vulnerability and empowerment, using her artistry as an outlet for mental health struggles. “Scarred,” for example, is a deeply personal track dedicated to an emotionally challenging relationship, embodying themes of love and transformation.

Balancing a day job in customer service with her passion for music, Mía aims to transition into full-time artistry. She often shares her creative journey with fans through platforms like BIGO Live, where she streams recording sessions, video shoots, and photoshoots. This interactive engagement with fans has become central to her growth as an artist.

Mía’s journey underscores a desire not only to create but to succeed on her own terms. She has received recognition with a nomination for Musician of the Year at the Southern Entertainment Awards, further cementing her position as an artist to watch. Her unapologetic confidence, work ethic, and ability to turn personal experiences into art set her apart in an increasingly competitive industry.

For fans, Mía’s music is accessible across major streaming platforms, including Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Music, where she continues to expand her reach with authentic and powerful storytelling. With a growing fanbase and ambitious projects on the horizon, Mía Nalaíde is poised to make a lasting impact on the music scene.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

Many people would consider me a Jack Of All Trades kind of girl. My mom always gets on me about this, but I have a new job every week! Most times I have two or three jobs at a time and I’m always working new gigs.
Currently, I am a Licensed life/health insurance agent and broker. I’ve always been really good at sales. I’ve known this as a little girl. When I was 21 years old, I started working in customer service and sales and I excelled at my job rapidly. That’s how I knew sales was one of my strongest niches. I was working in insurance, but after years of doing insurance in customer service, I figured I could make more money if I got a license for it. I tried to get my license in Property and Casualty, but I missed the test for it, so I went back to study for Life/Health. I’ve been doing that ever since. It definitely helps me fund my career. I invest into myself and only I invest into myself. No one helps me at all. That’s why I have to have four or five other gigs or part time jobs as well. Being an artist is expensive and I’m not one of those people who focuses on my physical appearance so much. I put more money into my craft than I do my clothes. I still wear some of the same clothes that I’ve had since middle school. I just redecorate and redesign them to fit me as an adult. I don’t have interest in buying designer stuff. First of all, I’m a bit of a Tom boy, I hate wearing heels and getting my nails done. Secondly, material things don’t excite me, peace and financial freedom do.
I’m confident that once I get to where I want to be in my musical career, I can worry about Coogi sweaters and Karl Kani later on when they’re endorsing me or styling me for a show. Right now, my day job and side gigs fully fund my bills and my passion for music. In the end, I pray that I am able to make music my career, but still be able to invest into another passion that I have of growing herbs and making that my main side hustle to fund my music.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Although my reputation is not that big, doing showcases and traveling to perform have aided the most in building my reputation and growing my audience.
Honestly, I have a major love and respect for Los Angeles, because the city put me on. The people welcomed me with open arms and when I say they supported the dream and hustle like no one else. I didn’t know what I was doing when I dropped everything I had and moved to California, I just wanted a new adventure. I was thirsty for success and excitement.
Two weeks before I moved to California, I took a huge risk but investing into performing at a showcase during BET Experience weekend and I fell in love. The herbs were potent in the air, the celebrities were vibing, and I made so many new friends!! I saw opportunities and so many doors swinging back and forth like “pick me, pick me.” I had to make LA my new home and I did. I can’t tell you how many new family members I’ve made. The most important family is my Uncle B in Compton! Shout out to him, I hope he finds this one day! He believed in me and pushed me to stay focus and he always kept it real.
California and all of my friends there started Mía Nalaíde’s reputation and then one day I accidentally met Father MC! Never expected this to happen, I was looking for a side hustle and submitted my music to an A&R. He loved my sound and Introduced me to Father MC who unknowingly helped me discover my sound. California made Mía Nalaíde. The hustle, the struggle, the hunger built everything that I am today. I don’t have a major reputation, but my following is organic and my supporters love me because more than half of them definitely smoked a blunt with me and witnessed the grind. A lot of my supporters and fans struggled with me. That’s why they relate and respect me. I built my reputation by being my authentic self. I make my performances intimate because I want the audience to connect with me. They need to feel every lyric. They need to know who Mía Nalaíde really is and why she is the way that she is, so I will be pulling up to a stage near you very soon! In every state, I’m going to keep growing and I’m going to keep connecting with my supporters!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mianalaide.com/the-singer-who-can-spit
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mianalaide/profilecard/?igsh=Z29ic2UybDdpZWw0
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mia.nalaide/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC0F6ZQ5cMUy43OwoUxB0PMA?si=S5wOEUip54GLT9o-
• Soundcloud: https://m.soundcloud.com/mia-nalaide
• Other: https://linktr.ee/mianalaide

Image Credits

Cruz Control Radio (@cruzcontrolmedia)
We Fam ATL/ Hash 1 ATL (@wefam.atl)
Wikid Films (@adtheshoota)
Chanitra Dreher (@shotbycee)
615Exclusive (@officialaisle6)