Q&A With Niqa Mor
The Long Island native, Niqa Mor, is making strides to create a sense of longevity with her sound. Fusing together elements of trap into traditional R&B, Niqa creates a gritty, hybrid sound that is unmatched. The rising songstress released her EP, Thursday Night, last year, truly displaying her songwriting skills and ability to produce high quality music that could be compared to the ‘greats.’
Her recent single “Damage” delves into her Jamaican and West Indian roots, creating an atmosphere of endless summer vibes. We sat down with the singer herself to discuss her goals, inspirations, new music, and the ups and down of being an independent artist.
Let’s start with your newest work, ‘Damage,’ what was the process behind making that song?
NM: So that song honestly was the most random because I usually don’t do songs in that genre. I think it was just me taking like a step out of my comfort zone—that’s kinda been the theme of this year for me. It was just something that I was like: you know what? Let’s just try something that’s more fun, because I’m so used to making songs about relationships to personal experiences and I also wanted something that was kind of going to match the vibe of the summer which—New York culture is going to brunch, going out partying, dancing, having have with your friends, warm weather, being confident in yourself—I think that was definitely a part of the process. The song was written in like half an hour, like 15 minutes, it was like a quick thing and then we just jumped in the booth and cut it, and then we’re like “we gotta drop it, we gotta drop it!” and honestly, it’s been my biggest song thus far. I like that it makes people feel good and makes people have fun.
Your EP, Thursday, came out last year—how would you say your sound changed from that to what you are working on now?
NM: I think you’re gonna hear a change in my perspective and growth as a person when you listen to the new music that’s coming out. Thursday is a project that I think is still dope till this day and I definitely would like to push it to have more people hear it. But, what you’re going to hear from the difference is—my perspective changed as a person. Before I was living in a fantasy and everything was kind of like what I wanted it to be and not what it was. Now I see things for what they are, and you’re gonna hear that growth and my mindset, the topics I’m gonna talk about now—I’m just growing as a person and I realized like everything isn’t just about a relationship or one experience, it’s so much more to life and I think music needs a person who’s going to expand on those topics.
Where do you draw inspiration from for the music you’re creating now?
NM: I think I have a way of romanticizing life and I definitely think that a lot of my inspiration comes from like fantasy relationships and kind of my own personal embellishment on what I felt those situations were, when they weren’t like that ever! We have a way of romanticizing life and I think now I’m actually drawing inspiration from the reality of life, and understanding that you can have anything you want. You can manifest things that you want to have like, you’re in control of your own destiny. You were always great, you didn’t need somebody else to make you great. Just life lessons and things that I feel like are gonna be a little bit more towards like the reflective side of what I’ve learned. I still dabble in the fantasy part of things because I’m big into creating your own future and your own journey, but it’s gonna be like manifestation towards what you want and not creating a fake situation out of something that’s not there.
Speaking of inspirations and influences, who do you look up to as an artist?
NM: Mariah Carey, for sure. She’s from Long Island, she’s like the greatest vocalist of all time. She has always been like my number one inspiration; she’s a songwriter, she has an amazing vocabulary, you can learn so much from her music. I’m also a big Lauryn Hill fan, a big Christina Aguilera fan, I love Selena. I kind of just mix all those influences but I really am just into pure artistry—people who write, sing, create and it’s just from the soul, from the spirit.
Would you say “Damage,” was influenced more by dancehall?
NM: So I think it definitely has a dancehall vibe. I’m Jamaican/West Indian so that is a part of my culture that I never really tapped into before. I have been traveling a lot, so when I go on vacation and I’m kind of in the element, I kind of feel like the different part of myself that’s a lot freer. I think I’m really tapping into the island vibes when I’m there and I always come back from a trip inspired. I’m always like, ‘Wow, this is just all about having fun, and eating good food and enjoying life and being around friends and family, and I think that’s something that I never really owned before. I always felt like I never knew enough about that culture to have a say on it. This is why music brings us all together—me being able to tap into my roots, you know dancehall artists have reached out to me now and I think that’s dope!