Today we’d like to introduce you to Tannayia Thomas
Hi Tannayia, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My name is Tannayia Thomas, professionally known as, NAYIA. I’m a 21 year old rising DreamPop/R&B artist from Cleveland, Ohio. I’m a Full Time student at Cleveland State University in my Junior year, working to get my Bachelor’s in Health Sciences.
From ages 12 – present, I have been in many different projects from Musical Theatre, to Extra work in Short Films.
Music and acting has always been my life since I was a little girl. I’ve always wanted to be a singer and actress since I could talk. They used to call me ‘Microphone’ because I had the cutest microphone that I sung out of and put on performances for my family, dancing and singing.
I have a huge family. My close family includes, my mom, grandma, two aunts and my two little brothers. We all grew up very close. Extended family as well. I moved around a lot growing up so I was good at adapting to different environments.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There has been many struggles. Growing up on the Eastside of Cleveland, my beautiful mother was a single parent of 2 and when I was 5 my mother started showing symptoms of a rare brain infection that caused her to go in a coma for about 2 years. During those 2 years, me and my sibling lived with our lovely grandmother and 2 dearest aunts. This was difficult tho because we only had 2 bedroom my mother was in hospice at home.. us and my aunts shared a room. My grandmother unfortunately slept in the living room as well. During that time I also endured sexual abuse from a man who is now deceased. Miraculously, my mother awoke after the 2 years. She was removed off of hospice and quickly gained her strength back. But she was permanently paralyzed on her Right dominant side of her body. Now she is a wheelchair user, had to relearn how to do tasks like cooking and cleaning. A lot of my childhood was nursing my mom back to health and helping her heal again. That includes aiding my mother in her daily exercises, physical therapy, & helping around the house. Soon after, we moved to the westside of Cleveland. Life did improve for me but during this time, we had many ups and downs. During that time I started songwriting to let out the things I kept inside. I didn’t know how to talk about what was going on. The world felt heavy on my shoulders. I had endured a lot from a young age, had to grow up fast. And now being in college I’m unlearning trauma and anxieties and different things that affected me growing up. I’m actively in therapy which I recommend to everyone! Now I’m in such a better place in life. I’m a college student focusing on pursing my craft and breaking generational curses. With God, I honestly can do anything. And I believe I will be the first in my family to do just that. Changing our circumstances for the better and improving our quality of life.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I create music in a special genre called DreamPop. I absolutely love a dreamy, pop melodic sound. I also sing music in the genres, R&B/Soul and Indie. The edginess in Indie and the caressing wonders of R&B/Soul music warms my heart. I’m proud to showcase that in my Debut Single, “BRB”, which is out now on ALL PLATFORMS! I’ve been writing music since I was 14, so to finally release one piece of what I’ve been holding inside of me for years has been a breath of fresh air. It’s so rewarding because so many people love the song. What sets me apart from other artists is my unique personality, and inviting aura. My determination and resilience, also my background in acting, singing, and dancing. I’ve been training in music and dance on and off since the age of 12. Staring in 5 different musicals throughout my life. Being involved with Musical Theatre, you tend to develop a more theatrical voice. My range is on a spectrum. To complement that, I create my music the mezzo vocal range. I’ve also done many performances, whether it was for my debut song, or singing other songs for different events.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Be on the look out for me, NAYIA! The Nations next and upcoming RISING STAR! AND Ohio’s Princess of DreamPop! You can stream my debut single “BRB” on ALL PLATFORMS! And stay tuned for more music dropping all 2025! My rise to stardom is coming. Soon, I’ll be taking over everyone’s playlists, TV screens, and STAGES ACROSS AMERICA!
Follow me on all social media platforms for music updates and more content!
Instagram: @therealnayia
TikTok: @nayiaswrld
Facebook: @Tannayia Thomas
Pricing:
- Purchase “BRB” on ITunes for $0.99
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealnayia?igsh=czF1dXRwaXI0MHp1&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/15euAjyG2L/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Twitter: https://x.com/tannayiat?s=21
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/N3M1AgUP1w0?si=atV-3_545R5RHH-B
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/XqvRDw7y9nkNcdTj9
