Nina Simone, Billie, Holiday, Art Tatum,Monk, Miles Davis, MaMas and Papas, Jonny Cash, Nancy Sinatra, Edie, Brickell, Carly Simon, Polyphony and Stephen Layton, Radiohead, Kate Bush, Daryl Hall, Eurythmics, Iron and Wine, Jose Gonzalez, Ella fitzgerald, The Supremes, Sebastien Tellier, The Police, Beethoven, Cinematic Orchestra, Brad Mehldau, Joshua Redman, Air, Alan Menken, The Andrew Sisters, Beck, Bjork, Bonnie Rait, Candi Staton,Bach, Johann Sebastian,Brahms, Johannes,Chopin, Frederic,Rachmaninoff.
Niia grew up in Needham, Massachusetts and attended St. Joseph's Elementary School, Newton Country Day School as well as The New School of Music in New York City. Her mother, a classically trained pianist born in Italy, began Niia’s initial training on the piano. She began singing and performing music at the age of seven. She began playing and singing jazz at age thirteen. She performed at many Jazz venues around Boston, and attended summer jazz camps including Jamey Aebersold, Interplay, and Berklee College of Music. In 2005 Niia was selected by the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts as one of the top 100 singers in the country, and the national winner in the Jazz voice category National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts Recognition and Talent Search.
Niia is featured on Wyclef Jean's 2007 single, "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)," which also featured Lil' Wayne and Akon. The song has peaked at number twelve on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, after fifteen weeks on the chart. She also starred in the four-part MTV exclusive short-film Americlef. She has also toured around the world performing with Wyclef Jean and performed live on VH1 Soul Stage, The David Letterman Show, Jimmy Kimmel, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, as well as on MTV New Years Eve show in Times Square.
She has been praised for her true voice, piano skills, and ability to cross in both mainstream and jazz genres. She has been compared to some heavy hitters such as Norah Jones and Diana Krall. She is currently working on her first upcoming album, which promises us, heavy jazz and classical influences, with intelligent pop production. She currently resides in New York City.
Niia Performs on The Late Show
Niia Performs on The Late Late Show
"Sweetest Girl" The OFFICIAL ACOUSTIC VERSION - Wyclef, Niia & Jerry Wonda
What's up?, I know you have great taste in music. Drop through and let us know what you think! (Your Opinion Means a lot to Us!) We're working on some new material, so stay tuned!
Hi Niia: thanks for the add, i enjoyed so much listening, you are a great pianist and singer,nice compositions like you.......... Eduardo Orestes Chile
Hey Whats up?.....jus Stopping by to let u kno that i really like your music, and jus wanted to say keep doin what you do b-cuz you're doing a very good job.
