Meet Nadia Venice | Singer/Songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nadia Venice and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nadia, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
My older cousin taught me how to write songs and sing at a very young age and I always had an innate desire to entertain. It didn’t matter if it was dance, theater, music, etc. I just loved entertaining and performing to some capacity. In the earlier part of my life, my main focus was actually in acting. I was a bit of a thespian back in the day. But I always sang and wrote songs behind closed doors. For a long time, music was more of a catharsis for me as opposed to a career pursuit. When I turned 18, I realized that I no longer want to keep my music completely under wraps. Listening to music helped me through so many of my own personal struggles, so I wanted to be able to do that for others as well. I wanted my music to not only be a source of enjoyment, but a source of altruism and catharsis for the masses as well.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
The thing i’m most proud of is simply releasing my music to the world. I kept it hidden for so long but I’ve received so many messages over the years that my music resonates with them and it means the world to me. I got to where I am today with a lot of trial and error. Networking, educating myself on the industry, and seeking advice. I’m at the point now where i’m no longer pressed to be some ubiquitous figure. I simply want to create because it’s who I am and it’s really who i’ve always been. If i was doing it just for the money and fame, I would’ve quit by now. For a good chunk of my 20’s I started to get way too caught up in numbers and virality and was starting to lose sight of what really mattered. I think it’s easy to become a sell out when that’s the main focus. I went through a severe depression late last year and in that depression i was able to transmute that energy into a process of healing. And in that process of healing (which is still an ongoing journey), my perspectives on life, career, passions, etc changed drastically. So, i’m in a much better state of mind and am so incredibly grateful to be able to say that. One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is not having enough resources to be as prolific as I would have liked. I’m sitting on 3 albums at the moment that haven’t seen the light of day because the reality is…being an artist is very expensive. And adulting is very hard! So i’m still juggling a lot and trying to balance everything out but i’m getting a lot closer to my goals. Being depressed for a while made things much more difficult too, but i’ve come such a long way.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I grew up in ATL but I went to boarding school for my high school years and then lived in statesboro for college then moved to north carolina for a year and a half so I haven’t really lived my adult life in Atlanta until now. It’s almost as if it’s a completely new city to me to some degree, so i’m still exploring and trying to see what’s out here. I like fin and feathers and cru lounge is a classic too. Smith’s olde bar is pretty fun as well but if im being honest i love an at home vibe. Gathering with friends and having a jam session, or just having a beautiful enriching conversation over a glass of wine is ideal.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I definitely want to give a shoutout to my mother first and foremost! Kim Bolden. If I could give her the world I would. I love her to pieces and am so incredibly credible grateful to have a mother that only loves me but is also a huge inspiration to me in so many ways. Also, my cousin Erica Johnson who was the person that really planted that artistic seed within me and has supported me along the way.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nadiaxvenice/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5NGqVjVizvbWc9fWWMUWfQ

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@nadiavenice

Image Credits
shotbygotti