Kreyolicious Interview: Naida Lynn, Singer-Songwriter, Part 2

In Part 1 of the interview with singer Naida Lynn, I discussed her beginnings with her, her and now for Part 2, we’ll go deeper into her artistry and her future and learn even more about music. Proceed and read this Kreyolicious interview.

K. St. Fort: You’re a songwriter. Do you work on your own melodies too?

Yes! Totally! The songs and the melodies often come hand in hand. For me, a lyric isn’t complete if it isn’t properly syncopated with the melody and vice versa! I see songwriting as one beautiful symphony that isn’t right until it fits right at the gut level. This includes having clear, relatable lyrics married to a moving, beautifully catchy melody.
 
K. St. Fort: As a performer, you’re in the spotlight. You’ve got people looking you up and down at your performances, looking at you from every angle. But I suppose that’s something you get used to. When do you feel the most beautiful? 

Such a good observation. It’s true! I feel the most beautiful when I look in the mirror right before I leave my home. As a flash-fashionista, I put a lot of effort into what I wear when I know there will be a lot of eyes on me. Perhaps it’s because my style only has two gears: Either I look like a bum—totally dressed down, head wrapped, no makeup, in mismatched pajamas—, or BAM! I look good [wide smile] Swag. That’s why I call it flash-fashion because it comes and goes as quick as a flash mob! [Laughter]

But the thing about my efforts in looking good is that as soon as I take one final look in the mirror and am happy with what I see, I stop caring. I don’t think about it much after that because as long as I love what I’m looking at, I feel confident and beautiful the whole time. People may compliment me or criticize me—but as far as I’m concerned—it’s irrelevant.

 
K. St. Fort: How do you stay connected to Haitian culture?

I find your question interesting. Staying connected to my culture isn’t something I think about because I feel like it’s so ingrained in who I am. I speak to my family in Creole everyday, eat Haitian food often, and find interest in staying abreast to what’s going on with my people. Being myself everyday and staying connected to my family and friends creates a natural filter through which I see and experience life. Sometimes I forget words in English because I only know them in Kreyol or I’ll hang out with non-Haitian friends and be reminded of how Haitian I am when we do things differently. Though I’ve only been twice to the motherland—a year before the earthquake and the year after—I love my people. It would be my pleasure to be able to visit more often in the future.

K. St. Fort: What are you working on right now?

Currently, I am working on expanding and simplifying my brand. For years, people have known me as ‘just’ the singer/songwriter. But I’m in the process of incorporating two other main pillars into what I do. They include writing & motivational speaking. In this way, there will be one umbrella of inspiring people which will have three manifestations: music, literature, and teaching.

A huge part of what I’m about is self-discovery and living life on purpose. I do that daily from the time I wake up to the time I sleep. I am a unique individual who is full of dreams, ideas, and hobbies. I’ve found that being so intentional with my time on earth has genuinely created such a powerful, amazing life for me! I can’t help but think that as freely as I have received such a life, I want to now give this life and show people how to do it!

Of course, it will look totally different than mine, but what I want to do is expose people to the possibilities out there so much so that it provokes change in them!

So, a lot of what I’m doing these days is working on the foundation of our company—that is launching a lifestyle blog, writing the curriculum for seminars that I want to do, and brainstorming about taking my music to the next level. All the while, I am performing at various places and continually songwriting.

[Photography Credit: Timed Beauty by Sally, Oscar Torres and Behind the Face Photography]

NAIDA ON FACEBOOK| NAIDA LYNN ON INSTAGRAM| NAIDA LYNN ON TWITTER| NAIDA LYNN’S WEBSITE
CLICK HERE to buy her music on iTunes.