“Most people know me as Nia Moné, the singer-songwriter here in the city, but I do a lot of other things as well. I’m a set designer, a prop designer, and a hairstylist during the day. I like to do a lot of different things.”
It begins with this self-introduction, a statement that encapsulates the multiplicity of Nia Moné’s creative identity. Singer-songwriter is only one aspect of the prism; she is also a visual artist, a stylist, and a designer who thrives in various creative disciplines. From the outside looking in, it may seem like she’s juggling disparate roles, but for Nia, these pursuits coexist under the umbrella of a single artistic vision—one that refuses to be confined to a single medium or genre.
At the core of her work is music, and Nia’s particular brand of sound owes its existence to a life that has known constant movement. Growing up in a military family, Nia lived in far-flung places around the globe, from North Dakota to Guam, Japan, and England. These formative years, filled with diverse encounters, became the wellspring from which her musical and artistic sensibilities would draw.
“Being able to move around and see so many different kinds of people and cultures definitely shaped how I approach music and artistry,” she says. “There’s a degree of adaptability you have to have, like being a good chameleon.” In other words, nothing about her style—be it in music, stage aesthetics, or personal presentation—is accidental. She absorbed the flavors of multiple cultures, stored them within herself, and now lets them emerge through her work.
Before long, these travels led Nia to a place of deep musical appreciation. Her formative years in the UK were particularly influential. “Japan has a lot of pop, and in the UK, they’re not trying to make hits—they’re making classics,” she explains. “Amy Winehouse, I forever sing her praises. I lived there while she was in the peak of her career, and she influenced me heavily.” The difference in approach—chasing timelessness rather than commercial trends—resonated strongly with Nia. Winehouse’s authenticity and fearless artistry became a pillar of Nia’s own philosophy: that genuine expression, not manufactured appeal, holds the key to music’s lasting impact.
Nia’s family back in the States may not have been musicians themselves, but their open-minded love for the arts created a supportive backdrop to her early explorations. “My mom loved musicals—‘The King and I,’ ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’—while my dad introduced me to Amy Winehouse. They appreciated the arts, but I’m the only one in my
family who took music on in this way.” If her mother’s taste in classic musical films and her father’s ear for soulful songstresses represent two sides of the same coin, Nia is the one who shaped that coin into a unique artifact, melding these influences into her own creative currency.
As she charted her path through adolescence and into early adulthood, a constellation of other artists also illuminated her journey. “Aside from Amy Winehouse, Jessie J really inspired me with her vocal abilities. And Beyoncé—she was the first Black artist I saw rise to that level of stardom, and it was amazing to witness.” Alongside these powerhouse women, Nia embraced the ethereal falsettos of indie and alternative music, finding a connection with bands like Kings of Leon and artists like Hozier. “Kings of Leon and Hozier are other artists I’ve loved. I’ve seen every Hozier concert he’s had here in Oklahoma.” These influences reflect a sonic mosaic: pop, soul, alt-rock, indie folk. Through each one, Nia gathered threads of sound and feeling that would later become the tapestry of her own work.
Yet for all her talent and early passion, Nia’s road was not always straightforward. She reached a crossroads at age 20 when a near-fatal accident forced her to confront what truly mattered. “At 20, I was in a toxic relationship where I wasn’t pursuing music because he thought I’d leave him behind. Then, I got in an accident with a semi-truck. It could have been my last moment, and I realized I wasn’t living a life I was proud of.” This awakening, born of a brush with mortality, jolted her into action. She recognized that time was too precious to waste on others’ insecurities, especially at the cost of her own dreams.
“As I healed from that accident, I started doing things for myself—CrossFit, leaving that relationship, and eventually pursuing music. I wanted to regain my power.” With newfound determination, she reshaped her life around her goals. The creative arena of Oklahoma City, a place she had initially stepped into somewhat by happenstance, now offered fertile ground for growth. She immersed herself in the local creative community, where a mentor named Dawn Jaiye, a visual artist and muralist she had known since she was 14 (when she braided his hair), proved pivotal. “Dawn Jaiye, an artist in the city, was a big mentor for me. He always encouraged me to get out there and make my mark.”
Buoyed by such support, Nia began hitting open mics, forging connections, and performing her music publicly. “I started performing at open mics and networking. It kept growing, and while I feel like I’ve made my mark here in the city, it’s time to move around.” This restless spirit—always ready to adapt and evolve—continues to characterize her approach. She resists boxes and easy definitions, and if one must label her sound, it is best described as multi-genre.
“I’ve been claiming the label multi-genre,” she says, summarizing an approach that refuses to be pinned down. “The big three I say are R&B, alt-rock, and maybe pop electronic.” From Tokyo’s pop sensibilities to London’s classic-making ethos, from Winehouse’s raw soul to Beyoncé’s universal appeal, Nia’s music is a reflection of all these influences braided together. Her global perspective also extends beyond music: her brand imagery often draws on astronomy, planets, and stars, as well as influences from her childhood love of anime—particularly Sailor Moon.
“I’ve always loved looking in the sky… a lot of my imagery for my brand is like planets and stars and moon,” she explains. “Sailor Moon was just now getting on Cartoon Network when I was a toddler… I’ve kind of held on to that imagery a lot.” It’s a visual universe tied to her sound. She doesn’t just create music; she conjures whole worlds.
This same conceptual thinking drives her interest in cinema. “I love older movies… ‘Requiem for a Dream’ and ‘Paris, Texas’ are really beautifully shot movies that definitely influence me.” Cinematic storytelling and visual aesthetics shape her work as a set and prop designer. Bringing sonic and visual elements together gives her the power to construct immersive environments for her audience. “It allows me to create my own world even more… past sonically, I can visually show people where I’m at.” She mentions Alice in Wonderland as another touchstone—giant plants, whimsical
scenes—all used to invite listeners (and viewers) into a dreamlike space that complements her music’s emotional landscape.
Nowhere is this intersection of sound and image clearer than in the thriving Oklahoma creative scene she has come to call home. This may seem surprising for an artist influenced by international sounds, but Nia believes in starting exactly where you are. “If I can’t start where I’m at, can I really start it at all? There are so many valuable creatives here,” she says. Oklahoma’s creative community offers something that larger markets might lack: “Oklahoma has a degree of stillness… I can figure out who is Nia Moné before I leave. It gives you a home base to come back to, without the noise of popularity or numbers.”
In other words, Oklahoma City functions as a creative greenhouse, a place where artists can cultivate their artistry away from the glare of more cutthroat scenes. This environment has allowed Nia to refine her style, experiment, and discover her true voice. It has also given her opportunities to shine on significant stages. One such milestone was performing at Beer City Music Hall on its opening day. “Being the first performer at Beer City Music Hall… it was a sold-out crowd,” she says, still sounding somewhat amazed by the experience. “I also got to do the original mural in that space, so I have a deep connection to Beer City Music Hall.” That dual contribution—both as performer and visual artist—summarizes Nia’s interdisciplinary identity perfectly.
These community ties extend beyond venues and murals to the artists she collaborates with. Working with the videographer Los Avitiuh led to her first music video, forging a connection that felt right both personally and artistically. “Los Avitiuh did my first and only music video… his voice is golden. He’s a fantastic musician.” The sense of mutual respect runs deep, and now she’s collaborating with a brand-new band—Nia Moné and The Moonrays—where she’s exploring a more collective creative process for the first time. “I’m collaborating with my new band… it’s the first time I’ve written with other people in mind.”
The band’s lineup—Colton Walkup on bass, Marcus Upshaw on keys, Charles Mambula II on saxophone, Tommy Blalock on guitar, and Isaiah Thomas on drums—reflects the diversity of talent in Oklahoma’s music scene. Writing with them, Nia says, frees her from the insular world of solo composition. “Writing with my band has been really cool… it’s not just my sad girl shit anymore. Even if it’s sad girl shit, it’s not very specifically my sad girl shit.” In other words, the collaborative environment broadens her thematic range. Through others’ stories and contributions, she’s expanding her creative horizons and discovering new layers to her artistry.
Nia’s creative process itself is a blend of intuition, technical knowledge, and playful resourcefulness. She enjoys exploring the emotional resonance of musical keys: “Each key has a mood attached to it… G is the key of happiness, F is the key of love.” Sometimes the spark comes from hearing a backing track. Other times, a poem she’s written forms the skeleton of a new song. She’s not shy about using tools like RhymeZone.com to overcome writer’s block, though she draws the line at AI-generated lyrics.
For Nia, authenticity is paramount. Her music can be joyful or heart-wrenching, but it always comes from a real place. When creative blocks occur, she ventures out into the world to live more fully, gather new experiences, and meet new people. “Sometimes I feel like I’m in [a creative block] as I speak… it means I’m not living. Art reflects life. Sometimes you just gotta go live some life to make some art.” She believes people are the best resource for stories, and if she’s feeling stuck, she’ll make sure to encounter someone new who can inspire her next lyric or melody.
At the same time, Nia wants her listeners to feel understood and empowered. “I hope that they know that they’re not alone in their feelings,” she says about her audience. She wants them to find solace and understanding in her words. While some of her songs are highly personal—she mentions “Clouded Potions” as a track that once made her cry on stage—she is also mindful of offering encouragement and the notion of manifestation. “Despite the things you cannot control, there are very many things that you can. You are the captain of your ship.”
“Clouded Potions,” despite being a listener favorite, holds complicated meaning for Nia. It has forced her to show vulnerability on stage in a way that can feel uncomfortable. But she values that honesty, even if it sometimes brings tears. On the other hand, songs like
“Wasting Time” may be repetitive, but they embody a different emotional wavelength, one that is about mood and feeling more than narrative complexity.
Looking ahead, Nia has big plans. She’s entered a season of introspection and creation with her band, taking the winter off to write, record, and shape what will become her next chapter. With no new releases this past year, she has resolved not to let another year go by without giving something fresh to the world. “I’m really happy to say that Nia Moné and The Moonrays are actively taking the winter off to write, record, create… so that in probably like spring or summer of 2025, we can start rolling some stuff out.”
To achieve her vision, Nia knows she’ll need to push herself beyond her comfort zone. She’s not thrilled about being in front of the camera, but recognizes the importance of visuals in today’s music industry. She wants to craft music videos, set pieces, and maybe even step into the world of film. “Some people want to be seen, I freaking don’t, I just want to be heard,” she admits. “But I do love cinematography… if I could, even if I’m behind the camera, just be in the film industry in some way, I would love that.”
It’s about finding new ways to tell stories, new avenues to express her endless creativity. In five or ten years, Nia imagines a career that might involve music in films, commercials, and stores—soundscapes that permeate everyday life. She talks about passive income as a goal, so that she can continue to create without the grind of touring if that’s not what truly calls to her. “Five or ten years from now, I would love to be able to just do music.” Yet she remains open to possibilities. Acting, cinematography, behind-the-camera roles—all of these intrigue her, as long as she can keep evolving and remain actively creative.
Even as she yearns for growth and broader horizons, Nia retains a humble perspective on her legacy. “Honestly, I don’t think my music’s like particularly special in any type of way except for the fact that it’s just another record of the human experience,” she says. “If you like it, cool. If you don’t, that’s also cool. I’m just a person.” This modesty might be surprising, given her ambition and skill, but it also speaks to her authenticity. She wants the freedom to move fluidly between genres, media, and roles, without being locked into anyone else’s expectations. She hopes to leave listeners with the sense that their own experiences are valid and worthy of expression.
In an industry often fixated on strict branding, neat categorization, and easily digestible narratives, Nia Moné stands as a counterexample. She fully embraces the “multi-genre” label, not as a marketing ploy, but as a genuine reflection of a life spent gathering influences and forging her own path. Her story is one of personal reclamation—overcoming fear, surviving trauma, and asserting her right to create on her own terms.
Her artistry spans many forms: music informed by British soul and global pop, visuals influenced by cosmic imagery, anime aesthetics, and cinematic frames, and stage environments inspired by whimsical classics like Alice in Wonderland. Her Oklahoma roots have become a sturdy foundation from which she can launch into the future. No
matter where the journey leads, be it film sets or recording studios, her work will remain an ongoing testament to one artist’s effort to translate the fullness of human experience into sound, sight, and story.
And perhaps that is the greatest takeaway from Nia Moné’s ever-evolving career—an insistence that artistry is fluid, that one’s identity need not be singular or static. Whether composing a new track, painting a mural, designing a set, or braiding a friend’s hair, she aligns all these creative streams into one current: a passionate belief in art’s capacity to connect, transform, and expand. In her world, there is no single note, no single image, that says it all. Instead, it’s the interplay of these many disciplines, influences, and personal histories that shape her artistry, forging a creative universe as boundless as
the sky she’s always loved to look upon.
For Nia, that boundlessness is the point. It’s what drives her to keep creating, to keep searching for new modes of expression. It’s why, when people ask what kind of music she makes, she now simply calls it “multi-genre.” In that one label lies all the complexity, adaptability, and imagination that define who she is as an artist: a creator unbound by
borders, expectations, or the demands of a world that wants neat, tidy categories. Instead, she offers something more human, more fluid, and ultimately more honest.
