Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nia Ruschxl. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Nia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you feel you or your work has ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized? If so, tell us the story and how/why it happened and if there are any interesting learnings or insights you took from the experience?
Yes, all the time. I consistently identify as The Angel of Death, drawing inspiration and shaping my artistic vision from horror films and Stephen King’s works. My artistic style is characterized by its dark and ominous aesthetic, often eliciting fear from those who encounter my cover arts and posted images. I often hear that my work is frightening or unsettling for viewers, which is always a shocker to me because I truly don’t think that my stuff is THAT scary yet haha. Also, there’s a lot of misconceptions surrounding what I identify as, which is the Angel of death, with many assuming it connotes malevolence. In reality, The Angel of Death works in conjunction with the one true God, and is a symbol of life and transformation. While my work does often provoke fear, it reflects my experiences with mental illness, trauma, and societal hardships. Which can all be frightening things to experience.. this misunderstanding of my aesthetic has honestly made me want to create darker & scarier visuals because I realized that people are afraid of the things that they don’t know or understand. However, my music serves as an outlet for self-expression and self-discovery, encouraging others to confront and accept their own darkness, recognizing that it is an integral aspect of their being. It is through embracing our collective darkness that we can truly appreciate the light and cultivate a deeper understanding of ourselves, the world around us & that true beauty lies in our multifaceted nature. Which I believe can foster unity, love, and acceptance. Through this experience, I have gained the insight to rise above others’ misperceptions and opinions about my identity, channeling them into an opportunity to transcend beyond surface-level judgments.
Nia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Well, firstly. My name is Nia Ruschxl aka The Angel of Death. As a creative individual, I have a profound passion for art and horror related things. I identify as an introvert, preferring the comfort of my home environment. Professionally, I am an emerging musical artist specializing in singing/songwriting and I would describe my genre of music as dark alternative R&B with a dash of trip hop. October is one of my favorite months and my artistic expression and online presence reflect an acceptance of the darker aspects of life, embracing a perpetual Halloween-esque aesthetic. From a young age, I always knew that I wanted to be in the music industry, creating my own songs to perform worldwide. Music has been an integral part of my life, and I recognize its omnipresence in everyday sounds. Music is everywhere! From the wind blowing past your face, the birds chirping at 5am, to your favorite person talking.. it’s all music. Music can alter your mood & it holds a lot of power within this world. It fascinates me how magical music can be and I wanted to be part of that world. Growing up, I remember watching MTV when they would play music videos during certain times & I would try to learn the dance routines in each song to be able to perform for my family. Maybe, I was always a bit delulu but I would imagine myself on stage in front of thousands of people screaming my name & cheering me on.. haha. This is something that I wanted to do from the beginning of my time. I can’t imagine myself doing anything else. Michael Jackson is somebody that I looked at as Inspiration throughout my journey as well. He is one of the greats. The way he performs, the way he sings, the way he writes his music.. I wanted to be just as great as him and I liked that Michael Jackson was true to himself. Following high school graduation, I decided to get serious with my music. Learning what worked for me and what didn’t, experimenting with my sound and style and discovering who I was in this world and how that related with my music.. in 2019, I dedicated myself to refining my craft, ultimately embracing my unique style and dark artistic vision. This transformation allowed me to tap into my spiritual side, trusting in a higher power to guide my creative journey. I’ve come to realize that my introverted nature grants me a distinct perspective, enabling me to observe the world from the shadows. I am nothing but everything all at once.. I used to hate that I felt like I was a ghost girl, invisible & hidden in the shadows of the dark but I’ve realized that there’s so much beauty in this. Being in the shadows will show you everything that tries to stay hidden from the light. The truth of your existence. The truth of the world. Gaining these perspectives has opened my eyes in ways that I never thought could be possible.. I want to utilize it in my creations to share with others because it really is beautiful what you will learn about yourself when you stop running away and you step into the dark. The darkness has shown me that the light was never at the end of the tunnel. It was always within me and I hope that I can inspire others to see the same.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Man oh man. I have ample memories of a time that showcases my resilience. I think that anyone who is pursuing their dreams can relate that it takes resilience to keep pushing forward.. one story that I can share was the time I auditioned for American Idol and The voice. Both auditions were held in the same year of 2019. The voice was holding auditions in Atlanta, GA in July/August and American Idol had auditions in Raleigh, NC in September. I went to Atlanta by myself and although I felt nervous, I was thrilled to be there. I kept thinking to myself that “this is it, Nia. You got this! You’re putting yourself out there and it’s going to work out in your favor.” I have never auditioned for anything like this before and had no idea what to expect when I got there. You spend a lot of time in line, watching fellow likeminded individuals who are practicing and getting hyped up for the process. After like two hours of being in line, in the heat, I finally got to make my way towards the building. Once inside they assign you to little groups and when your group is called you go into this room. The backrooms lol There’s a judge in front of the room and they make you sing, one by one. When it was my time to go, I sort of choked up. I sung for a little bit and then completely stopped because I was so nervous haha. Well needless to say, I didn’t get a callback ahaha and I drove back home crying, hysterically. I told myself that this wasn’t the end for me. So, I registered to apply to the auditions that would be held in Raleigh, Nc for American Idol. I thought, “okay! A second chance. Maybe the universe wants me here and this will be my moment to shine”. Well I was wrong haha. The process is very similar to The Voice. However, everything is done outside and they have a bunch of tables set up where 10 people go at a time, at each table to sing, one by one in front of everyone. I did the best I could but I honestly had a lot of self doubt because I felt like, vocally, I didn’t compare to the others. Comparison is the thief of joy. I didn’t get a call back and the judge said that we should try again next year and keep working at it and then I had to do the walk of shame back to my car LOL. When I got in my car, I cried, hysterically, again. This time though, I thought that maybe this was a sign that I wasn’t good enough. Why do people always say no to me? When will someone open the door for me? I have heard a lot of people tell me that I wasn’t ready or that I didn’t have what they were looking for and heard a lot of “No’s” throughout my journey. For some reason though, I kept fighting for my dream because I feel that this dream chose me. Yeah, maybe I’m not the best vocally and maybe I have a lot to work on but I have a gift & I am talented. One day, someone will give me a chance & they will say yes, eventually but even if no one believes in me.. guess what? I still do. No matter how many times I fall, I always get back up and like Aaliyah said I just “dust myself off and try again”. My resilience to use those failures as motivation to improve is going to be the reason why, one day, I will make it.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
A lesson I had to unlearn was that I had to be successful by a certain age, when it pertained to pursuing my dreams. The older I got, the more fearful I became that I was running out of time. This use to be the reason why I would try to rush my creative process and would try to put music out quickly because I felt that I had to be signed, be successful in the industry, and be this international mega star by a certain age. This is simply not true. As i’ve matured, i’ve realized that there’s no age limit to when you can make your dreams your reality. There’s no age limit to creating ART. You’re not too old and you’re not too young. It doesn’t mean that your dreams aren’t meant for you just because it takes you longer to achieve it. We are all on our own unique journeys. Stories like Vera Wang becoming the greatest designer and she didn’t start her fashion career until she was in her 40s, or Samuel L. Jackson, who didn’t get his big break until the age of 46 for the movie, Pulp Fiction or like Oprah Winfrey, who didn’t land her tv show until she was 32. Even artists like Sia, 2 chainz, etc.. These stories show that creativity and innovation doesn’t have an age limit. All you need is belief, hope, the vision, the love & passion for the vision, and the resilience to keep pushing toward the finish line. I always thought that if I wanted to be successful with my music then I had to make that happen within 20-24. Once, I surpassed this age then I thought I had to “wrap it up” and find a different path. Which was never true Haha. So, for anyone out there that’s on the journey of making their dreams come true; Don’t give up on your dreams. KEEP GOING! You got this! Your dreams are supposed to scare you. If they don’t scare you then dream BIGGER. You’re right on time & everything is going to align perfectly for you. As long as you believe in yourself then you’ve already won.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.unitedmasters.com/nia-ruschxl
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/niaruschxl
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563661557826&mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@niaruschxl
- Soundcloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/niaruschxl
- Other: http://linktr.ee/niaruschxl
