UP CLOSE WITH NIAHSKA

UP CLOSE WITH NIAHSKA

1. Your name itself carries the word ska in it — how did “Niahska” come about, and what does it represent for you as an artist?

Niahska is really just me at my roots. Niah is my nickname, given to me by my family, so it already carries home and identity with it. Ska comes from what I grew up listening to — it’s always been part of my sound world.

My sister played a huge role in that. She was the one who brought me into the world of Amy Winehouse, and through that, I was opened up to listening to The Specials. At the time, she was in secondary school, and ska was having a mainstream moment in the 2000s, so that sound was always around me.

So the name isn’t something I had to invent. It reflects what was already there. Niahska represents where I come from musically and personally: family, influence, and the sounds that shaped me before I even realised they would.

2. You blend elements of ska, jazz, and soul in your music. Which artists or moments shaped this sound the most?

I’m influenced by a wide range of artists. Lesley Gore, Amy Winehouse, Hepcat, Billie Holiday, Julie London, Sara Lugo, and many more have all shaped the way I approach music. From soul and jazz to ska and reggae, each of them has influenced not just my sound, but how I tell stories and express emotion as an artist.

3. What drew you to ska in the first place, especially in a scene where it isn’t the most common genre?

I was actually about to quit music and focus on my studies. At the start of COVID, a friend of mine called me and told me there was a ska band looking for a vocalist. I was hesitant at first, but from the moment I played my first gig, everything changed.

I loved seeing how much the crowd was enjoying the music. I didn’t want them to look at even the band or me- I wanted them to focus on their dancing, to be in a trance and completely at one with the song.

4. As a performer in Singapore’s live music circuit, what has been the most memorable show or crowd you’ve played for so far?

I would say Offbeat 22. A local ska festival created by my husband and his friends. That gig is actually where I found my husband, and we grew closer from that moment on.

What really stayed with me was the crowd. Everyone was dancing, from the very front to the back, completely together. It honestly left me in awe. You can never get that kind of energy with a mainstream crowd. It was something really special.

5. How does your training and musical background influence the way you write or arrange your songs today?

Writing and arranging music was something I went through a lot of trial and error with at first. I had to teach myself, fully relying on my hearing and instinct rather than any formal training.

I often find myself writing songs with darker meanings behind lively, upbeat tunes. I don’t aim to make hit songs. I just want to write music that reaches people. If someone hears a song and feels understood, or realises they’re not alone in feeling the way they do, then I’ve done what I set out to do.

6. What challenges do you face as a young female artist in the local scene, and how do you push past them?

I’ve accepted that I’ll always be hated, especially because of my gender. People will talk no matter what. The scene isn’t as popular as it used to be, but that doesn’t matter to me. Those who get it, get it. I’m not chasing numbers. I’m writing for the ones who feel what I feel, who understand the things I put into words.

7. Looking ahead, what do you hope people will feel or remember when they hear a “Niahska” song five years from now?

When people think of my songs, I want them to remember that I cared. I want to bring joy to others, even if it means losing trust along the way. I want my music to offer a different perspective on life, transforming negativity into something positive.

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