DISCOGRAPHY:

• Demos
• Kendall Marston Spiders
• Live At Eddie's Attic

© Nakia Reynoso - KiaChia Music 1996-2004

CONTACT INFO:

email: nakia@nakia.net

Web Page:

BIO:

(excerpted from Nakia's web site)
pronounced: 'nuh-kee-ah'

Raised in the foothills of the Appalachain Mountains in the Alabama town of Fort Payne, Nakia knew at an early age that his name was unique. "My parents got the name from a TV show called, "Nakia" that followed the life of a deputy on a reservation named, Nakia." The show ran on ABC in 1974 for only about three months. The name itself is Navajo Indian and is translated, "not going to tell you."

Growing up, Nakia always knew he wanted to sing and perform. "My mom says I was stopping cars in the front yard to sing KISS songs to them when I was five!"

KISS was just one of the many bands that Nakia connected with at an early age. His sister turned him onto Duran Duran and Culture Club, while his Mom was getting him into bluegrass, country and southern gospel. But it was Dad's Neil Young and Freddy Fender records that really hit him in the gut. "I remember hearing 'Wasted Days And Wasted Nights' thinking that I wanted to be the one coming out the speaker."

Once Nakia left Alabama for Atlanta, he landed a job with rock super-producer, Brenden O'Brien's short-lived 57 Records as a marketing intern. Nakia quickly adapted to the hectic lifestyle of record release parties and concerts. In short, he was hooked. "I was getting to sit at a desk making calls to record stores while watching my idols walk in to talk shop with Brenden. I had a piano in the furnished apartment I was living in at the time, and I sat down one day and started writing."

Four years later, Nakia found himself in Chicago working for another label, but this time it was Gregg Latterman's, Aware Records (John Mayer, Train, Five For Fighting) and Nakia was once again a marketing intern. "I was doing anything and everything I was asked to do to learn that end of the business and to network by day, and at night I was going out and playing piano bars."

Nakia quickly picked up a following in Chicago only to move once more. This time, settling in the music mecca of Austin, TX. In a town full of "singer/songwriters" who are competing for the same gigs, Nakia found a need to gain exposure outside of the city, first focusing his attention on a short tour of the south and midwest. That tour garned Nakia some great press, lots of new fans and a prestigous award for songwriting at Atlanta's, Eddie's Attic.

Upon returning home, Nakia began to perform anywhere Austin would have him, quickly establishing himself as a hard-working act, willing to promote himself and bring in the crowds. Nakia is currently hoping to have his song, "The Weather Man" picked up for the soundtrack of the new Nicholas Cage film of the same name. Nakia goes into the studio to record his debut independent full-length release this fall.

REVIEW:

A fresh combination of rough, bluesly, soulful vocals and intense, personal, accessible lyrics. Live, his performance is riveting. A self-taught piano player who has been compared to Ray Charles, Elton John and Sarah McLachlan, Nakia's style is very much his own though.