We were lucky to catch up with Nijhae Mckenney recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nijhae, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

I’ve been singing since I was 3. The first person to ever hear a tune out of me was my mother. She would always tell me “You get it from me”, while singing terribly all the while. She would bring me over to family and friends houses and have me sing for them, telling them, “My baby has a Gift.” She would push me to join performing arts classes, church choirs, even when I didn’t want to. I never understood why she was more excited than I was. But being almost 25, I thank her for it. She wanted me to express myself in some way. Now I find music in everything I do, it soothes me, it calms me. When I’m having a bad day, I’m singing tunes unconsciously. When I’m sad or hurt or angry, or in love, I write songs. Without her discovering that in me, I wouldn’t of gotten this far.

Nijhae, 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 got into the Industry when I moved to Philadelphia in 2021, even though I was singing way before then, it was always in secret. Whether in the shower or to my close friends for fun. But the first time I stepped on stage and sung for people I didn’t know, it was so rewarding. Being a creative can be very bittersweet though, you have your ups and downs. You tend to compare sometimes. But with the right mindset and discipline, you can get to wherever you want to go. I mostly sing Neo-soul or Alternative R&B, since its what I’m most called to do and what I’ve been listening to all my life. I’m very proud of how far I have come with singing. A lot of people don’t realize you can train your voice to sound better, just with consistency. I’d want whoever is reading this with a goal to know that its so possible to improve, if you don’t feel like you’re there yet, all it takes is practice, PATIENCE, and compassion.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Society can be so much better than it is, but there’s also a simple solution to it. LOVE. So many people arent in the scene for the art anymore, its about clout and the money and recognition. But that only gets you so far. Love doing what you do, but love it for the right reasons.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

My favorite books right now are The Four Agreements, All About Love, and the Power of Now. Every creative should read it. It helped strengthen my mindset, and helped me release many false beliefs I had about myself, through environment or childhood.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3uMwSdfkfP4TpQhNyGI2ZQ
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/becomingny/