Interview by Tahir "Legacy" Murray 

I’ve watched Nyah evolve from modeling into music, and she has spoken about how much more therapeutic music feels for her. When you see her DJ, you can feel that energy immediately. Her excitement moves with the sound and becomes the heartbeat of the room.

Since moving to Atlanta for grad school, she’s carved out a real space in the city for people who genuinely connect with her sets and the atmosphere she creates. She’s building a community rooted in bass, dance, and freedom, doing exactly what she wants to do. What I admire most about her passion is everything feels intentional and entirely her own. From her music selection, to the way she dresses, to the venues she chooses, Nyah knows exactly who she is and moves accordingly.

If you catch one of her DJ sets, just know… phones aren’t welcome. Nyah enforces a strict no-phone policy at her events because she’s committed to creating spaces where people actually connect with one another. Not for socials. Not for the gram. But to truly live in the moment. For a few hours, the music becomes a release… A way to free the mind, move the body, and simply be present.

Maybe we should all spend a little time in Nyah’s world… and dance.

Instagram: @nyahcami

T: Let’s start at the beginning. What’s your earliest core memory of music?

N: My main core memory would have to be long road trips with my family when we would drive to Louisiana to visit my grandma. My dad had this classic iPod with all of his music on it. We would listen to a lot of 80s music, Kraftwerk, Queen, Prince and Michael Jackson. I think those road trips definitely shaped my music taste even into adulthood. I’ve loved synths and electro/bassy type music ever since I was really young.

T: Parties you’ve thrown so far are more than parties… They are experiences. Even something as simple as giving out stickers to cover phone cameras creates a space where people can disconnect online to genuinely connect with each other. What do you wish for people to experience when they pop out to your DJ sets and events?

N: I want people to hear something they’ve never heard before or don’t typically hear outside. I also like to play music that shocks people and maybe brings up a nostalgic memory for them.

I definitely want to create safe spaces where everybody can come together and dance and be free.

The music I play is danceable, it’s fun, it’s just a good time all around. Social media can get in the way of having a good time and I think limiting the amount of phone time in the club can help create a better energy.

T: Obviously you throw your own events, but you also stay pretty booked with collaborations and appearances like that recent Adidas event where you performed with Zack Fox. What was that experience like, and what was it like performing alongside Zack?

N: Yesss, djing UWAY was definitely a bucket list moment for me. I’m chronically online so I’ve definitely known about Zack for years. I think seeing him in the electronic space embracing blackness through music is so inspiring. He also keeps his ears to the ground and supports many underground, Black DJs especially in the south which I think is so important. DJing with him was tons of fun we were genre hopping and just having a good time even though it was beyond hot in that booth. As someone who was born in Atlanta and who’s family is historically from Georgia I do feel connected to everything coming out of Atl, just like I do with what comes out of Texas (which is where I personally am from).

T: I’ve noticed at your DJ sets that I often see very similar faces that show up to your events no matter where they are in the city. What does it mean for you to grow a community of people that show up to every party ready to dance?

N: I love it! With Smoochez and Missbehave we love seeing people come back for the parties because it means we’re doing something right. It makes my day seeing people follow the journey that I or any of the DJs bring in their sets, especially because you’re not going to hear top 40 in these environments. So that trust is important and very valuable. When I first started going out, I was always dancing, regardless of if anybody else was.

 Living in New York and DC I loved letting loose and dancing freely, not caring what anybody thought about me.

I love seeing that energy happening at our parties, because I understand being the dancer and also being behind the booth.

T: Aside from DJing you also have your first project coming up which is very exciting. What inspired you to start making your own music and what can we expect from the music you plan on dropping soon?

N: Yeah! I’ve always made music since I was really young. Can’t say it was any good but I had a general idea of how to make something. I’d say that being around club music producers like Big Ace, Tromac, and Young Brown definitely gave me that final push to start taking it more seriously. I collab with my friends King Virgo and Cassidy Star often and we like to make little southern club or bass edits of songs that we enjoy. That’s essentially what the Sum 2 Say EP is. It’s an edit pack of King Virgo and I remixing our favorite Texas and Louisiana artists. We explore NOLA Bounce and Southern Club and just have fun with each song.

T: You grew up in Texas and your rep Texas very firmly. What is it about your home state that is forever embedded in who you are and how does that show up in your expression in music and style?

N: I think Texas is a part of my personality because it really is a great place to grow up and shape your identity. The music that comes out of Texas is top tier with Selena, Beyoncé and Solange, Erykah Badu, DJ Screw. I think I found pride knowing that there’s no place like Texas and not until I spent more time in Houston as a late teen did I really understand the culture and impact that Texas has. Some of my dearest friends at Howard were from Texas too and we had a sense of camaraderie. Although Austin is where I grew up I identify with the south and southern culture because my mom is all Atlanta and my dad is small town Louisiana, so it just makes me happy and proud to be like wow I can be anyone I want to be because of my southern influence.

That is how I was able to stay afloat in grade school because being a strange and ambitious Black girl in Austin is not the easiest experience.

 

T: I’ve known you since your freshmen year at Howard  Ive been able to witness the growth in your confidence as an artist and as a person. What helped shape your confidence, both in your work and everyday life?

N: I’d have to say it’s experiencing those really low lows where you feel like you can’t get it together, but coming out of them a stronger person. I’m pretty open with my mental health journey, and I don’t try to hide what I’ve been through.

I’m more comfortable with myself because I finally learned it’s okay to have flaws. 

For years I was so concerned with being perfect, especially in the modeling industry that it feels good to be in a place where my talent is actually at the forefront and not my appearance being all my worth. Despite its setbacks, music is a much healthier industry for me than modeling was. I’m much more confident than I was because I’m not as concerned with people’s opinions.

T: My last and favorite question to ask people… What truths about yourself have you arrived at lately?

N: This is a good question. For me I’d say that I finally realized my growth especially in the past two years. As a friend, as a partner and in my career. After feeling stagnant post covid I think I am now changing and growing in all the best ways. Especially when it comes to family and friends I am able to show up better for my community because I am doing better for myself, spiritually, emotionally etc…