The Indie Sound with Jimmy Star -Nia Renée

10 min

•Dec 22, 20254 months ago

Summary

Jimmy Star interviews R&B/soul/jazz artist Nia Renée, an American Idol top 40 alum who has performed at major festivals and opened for established artists. The episode features two of her recently released songs, 'Dream About Me' and 'Endless Friends,' showcasing her storytelling ability and vocal prowess in the independent music scene.

Insights

Independent artists can build credibility through festival appearances and collaborations with established performers rather than major label backing
Genre fusion (R&B, soul, jazz) continues to resonate with audiences seeking 'timeless and fresh' sounds in contemporary music
Social media presence is critical for independent artists to drive direct fan engagement and music discovery
Thematic songwriting focused on romantic narratives and emotional vulnerability remains commercially viable in indie music

Trends

Independent artists leveraging festival circuits and opening slots to build touring credibilityGenre-blending R&B/soul/jazz fusion gaining traction in independent music releasesDirect-to-fan social media strategy as primary distribution channel for emerging artistsNarrative-driven songwriting emphasizing emotional storytelling over production complexityEmerging artists securing placements at legacy artist farewell concerts and major festivals

Topics

Independent Music Artist DevelopmentR&B and Soul Music Genre TrendsArtist Social Media Marketing StrategyFestival Circuit Performance OpportunitiesVocal Performance and StorytellingMusic Release StrategyGenre Fusion in Contemporary MusicArtist Branding and Platform Building

People

Nia Renée

R&B/soul/jazz vocalist and primary guest; American Idol top 40 alum with recent song releases

Mike Phillips

Acclaimed saxophonist who performed alongside Nia Renée at MoBay Fun Fest in Montego Bay, Jamaica

Frankie Beverly

Legacy artist whose Final Farewell concert featured Nia Renée as a performer in Philadelphia

The Whispers

R&B group featured at Final Farewell concert where Nia Renée performed in Philadelphia

Musiq Soulchild

Established artist for whom Nia Renée has opened as a supporting performer

Will Downing

R&B artist for whom Nia Renée has opened as a supporting performer

Keith Washington

R&B artist for whom Nia Renée has opened as a supporting performer

The Manhattans

R&B group for whom Nia Renée has opened as a supporting performer

Quotes

"She's a powerhouse vocalist and a storyteller. She fuses R&B, soul, and jazz into a sound that's timeless and fresh"

Jimmy Star•Opening remarks

"All I think about is when it's late at night and you see visions of me all through your sleep"

Nia Renée•Dream About Me song

"Holding your hand makes me understand that a love like this ain't gonna never end"

Nia Renée•Endless Friends song

Full Transcript

Hey, everybody. Welcome to the Indie Sound with Jimmy Starr, your backstage pass to the global independent music scene. Today, we have a phenomenal artist. Her name is Nia Renee. I think you guys are going to love her. She's a powerhouse vocalist and a storyteller. She fuses R&B, soul, and jazz into a sound that's timeless and fresh, and you guys are going to love it. Before I tell you any more about her, we're going to play one of her songs so You get to hear how fabulous she is. And I think you guys are going to like it a lot. So without further ado, we're going to play Dream About Me out right now by Nia Renee. Enjoy, everybody. There's this guy that I see throughout my days Dark skin, nice smile, corny and compassionate I wonder if he's the type that can dream about me I wonder if he's the type that even thinks about me Cause I want him, and maybe that's too forward But I feel like there's something going on And I can't leave it alone All I think about is when it's late at night And you see visions of me all through your sleep Keep them to yourself so that you will dream about me All I think about is when it's late at night I hope that you'll dream about me I know that there's something going on Cause this feeling is strong And your heart is right where it belongs You can feel safe here in my arms Cause I won't be like your past Where you couldn't make it last And I know you've been hurt But I'm here to make it work If you let me I be your queen Like I a chickpea And you see visions of me all through your sleep Keep them to yourself so that you will, you will dream. All I think about is when it's late at night. Promise that you will dream about me. I said when it's late at night Yes, when it's late at night And you see visions of me All through your sleep Speak them to yourself So that you will dream about me Promise that you will About me I hope you dream Oh, I hope you dream I hope you dream About me I hope, I hope You dream for tuning in. Let's get back to Nia Renee, you guys. So she is a top 40 American Idol alum. She's appeared on a bunch of different stages. She has, let's see, she played at the MoBay Fun Fest in Montego Bay, Jamaica, alongside acclaimed saxophonist Mike Phillips and was featured at the Final Farewell concert of Frankie Beverly and Mays and the Whispers in Philadelphia. She's also open for artists, including Music Soulchild, Will Downing, Next, Keith Washington, and the Manhattans She got two songs that just got released not too long ago One is called End Is Friends One is called Dream About Me We just played Dream About Me a minute ago and now we going to play End Is Friends Also you guys she official Nia Renee on all social media platforms so please check her out follow her and check out this song right here. You're going to love it. It's called End Is Friends. I felt the tension. And I realized that you were meant for me. Ooh. But we played it cool. Got to know the real you. And that's when I knew that friends was never gonna do Holding your hand makes me understand That a love like this ain't gonna never end This friends don't know When I look in your eyes They make me fantasize Now I'm scared to death Cause I know a love like this Won't be this friends Now that we're together The world feels so much better But I can't help but think How it felt after I first leave And I know it won't end like we think Cause this love feels so unique Oh, how could this be? Holding your hand Makes me understand That love like this ain gon never end as friends No, no When I look in your eyes They make me fantasize Now I'm scared to death Cause I know, I know Like this won't be this place Oh no It won't be this place No Oh, no, we won't be won't end as friends Oh, holding your hand Makes me understand That you say, baby That love like this ain't gonna end Never, ever, ever, ever ain't gonna Never, ever, ever end up as friends When I look in your eyes They make me fantasize And I'm scared to death Cause I know I love like this won't end as friends. Oh, it won't end as friends. Hey, everybody. That's Endless Friends by Nia Renee. Please check out her music. Follow her on social media at official Nia Renee. And I want to thank everybody for tuning in to the Indie Sound with Jimmy Starr. And we'll see you next time, everybody. Bye-bye. And thanks so much.