Nakia Interview: SXSW 2010

Resident Austin rocker Nakia owes his career to the SXSW city. Shortly after visiting Austin for the first time for SXSW in 2001, the Alabama native (then residing in Chicago) instantly fell in love and permanently moved there several months later. Never looking back, Nakia is prepping for eight SXSW performances, including kicking off the showcase at the KGSR and Four Seasons, supporting his last release, 'Water to Wine,' and working on a new album. Spinner caught up with Nakia during his one week stretch of planning his attack, to talk new tunes, having a day named after him in Austin and Duran Duran.


What has been the response to your music so far?

Up until October, I was playing with a full band [Nakia & His Southern Cousins]. I had a seven-piece band, so that particular incarnation of what I was doing was very well received. The concept of the Cousins is that I knew early on that most of the members of the band would not necessarily always be a member of the band. So the idea was to call it Southern Cousins, because anyone could become a member of the family even if they were going play for one show, so it kind of stuck. Around that time, I lost my father to pancreatic cancer and had a lot of time to think and really look at myself and what I was doing. I decided that I wanted to take it back to the roots -- just me and the piano -- so I disassembled the band that was supporting me and just started writing on the piano again. I've only recently started performing in that context, so SXSW is going to be the unveiling of that new material.

SXSW is basically in your backyard. Are you originally from the music capital?

I'm originally from Alabama. I lived there all of my life, up until the fall or winter of 2001, then I spent eight or nine months in Chicago. Once I came here for SXSW, I was back within a few months!

When was the first time you actually performed at SXSW?

The first time I played SXSW was with another band called the Small Stars in 2005. The first year that I actually attended SXSW was before I was even performing. I was living in Chicago at the time and was working as an intern at Aware Records. I came down with a friend, and I just fell in love with everything here. I was like, wow, where has this place been all my life? It's like an oasis. It's very easy to get a second or third family here. I really consider myself to be a real Austin success story. When I came here, I didn't know anyone, and I had never really performed much outside of Chicago and Alabama. The city is really an inspiration to me and helped me grow as an artist. All along the way they've done everything to give me the tools that I needed. I cannot stress to you enough how I owe most everything that I have going on for me to the city of Austin. There's even a Nakia Day here.

Not many artists get a day named after them. Describe Nakia Day.

The mayor or the main music office here in Austin select a musician or a filmmaker and just proclaim that particular day of the year; mine was Feb. 17, 2007. So that is technically the only Nakia Day, but I always celebrate it!

What's in your festival survival kit? Is your schedule packed?

I usually start planning today [one week prior]. I actually started going through all the other artists that are going to be in town, the parties, the panels and all of that stuff to see if there's anything and try to add into everything else I'll be doing. I've been really fortunate this year. I have several appearances. I have a nice little lineup.

Describe your sound in your own words.

I would say that the songs that I'm playing now are really the purest form of songwriting, really close to my heart, because this is how I got started, sitting in front of a piano, performing for my friends and family. So this is how I have always performed, since I was a kid. So for me, the songs I'm performing for SXSW and for the record are all really important to me. It's important to get these songs out and have them heard.

What are some of your musical influences?

For my new record everything that I'm doing is so simple and stripped down that I was really inspired by a recent performance by Rufus Wainwright. I've been a big fan for a long time. It was just him and the piano, and it really reminded me of how much I enjoyed doing this. That is more in line with a storyteller, songwriter, that Elton John kind of feel. It's nothing like my last record that had this big whole sound with guitars, vocals, keyboards and drums. There's none of that. It's just me and the piano.

Where did you get the album title 'Water to Wine'? Is it because your music touches people like some higher being?

[Laughs] Well, I definitely have a strong upbringing in church! My mom and my grandma always brought me to church as a kid. The song 'Water to Wine' was really more about coming to the realization that I was so okay with who I am as a person, and it would take a miracle worker of some sort, someone really powerful to make me want to change. It's really just a metaphor for that like the line "If you wanna change me, you'll have to turn water to wine. You heal the sick and the blind and I might follow."

You started playing piano as a kid. How old were you when you first started?

I was about 6 years old when my mom first took me down the street to take lessons.

Have you seen or experienced anything crazy yet on tour?

When you're touring there's always going to be something interesting out there. There's a little bit of tonality everywhere, the repetitiveness of each city, hotel or room that you're playing. I've personally never really had any wild tour stories. I'm sure there's plenty of time for that.

Do you have any guilty music pleasures? Listen to Miley Cyrus at all?

I probably have too many. I'm not a really big Miley [Cyrus] fan. I was looking at the vinyl that I have recently been buying, and I can't help but buy Duran Duran records. I grew up listening to my sister's Duran Duran records, so I would have to say that's pretty high on my guilty pleasure list. I got a record player for Christmas, and we have the best record store in the world, here, Waterloo Records. There's just so much. I particularly find myself buying old used vinyl. There are so many new records coming out on vinyl now and reissues, so I all of a sudden have a lot of vinyl. I have a good feeling the new album will be on vinyl.

So would you say your biggest vice is buying vinyl?

I think comic books, vinyl and the Internet. I'm very plugged in, and sometimes that can be a bad thing. I'm just one of those people who will start on one web site and get sucked into the online world.

Who do you prefer more: Beatles or Stones?

For me, I have to say the Stones. I love the Beatles. I really do, but I've always enjoyed the Stones just a bit more.

Solo for now, do you have any other collaborations in the works?

I just finished recording backing vocals on the new Alejandro Escovedo record produced by Tony Visconti. Yeah! Bowie! It was really exciting and a real pleasure to work with Alejandro, but a real honor and blessing to work with Tony Visconti.


Tina Benitez is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.