Adia Victoria is becoming of new face around the music world with a sound that pulls from jazz, country, blues, and rock, but doesn't commit to any singular genre at all. It's freeing in its murky combination of styles and eras, where she is able to take you back to the sensibilities of yester years and bring in a fresh new approach. It's an appreciation of her influences but not holding the dynamics of those influences as law, but cooking it up in its own musical gumbo into a soulful and identifiable creation, all heard on her debut album Beyond The Bloodhounds.
Adia Victoria is currently on her headlining Me & The Devil Tour and I was able to chat with her briefly while on the road about her influences and how she got started on music.
You have this sound that's bluesy, country, jazzy and a little dark, where does this influence come from?
I don't really subscribe to any of the genres. I think I just make music that I would want to listen to. I listen to a lot of blues. I like jazz. I like country. I wanted to make my own music for my own enjoyment. That's what I do.
You're at this point where you're on this organic build musically being introduced into more and more listeners whether it's touring, press, or television appearances. How does it feel to get out there and go through these steps to further your reach?
I feel like I'm growing a lot as a person right now, as a young adult. I spent a lot of time in the south in Nashville with my family, now I'm being exposed to a global audience. I'm just trying to take it all with a grain of salt and look at it as a job. This is part of my career. Just trying to keep my head on straight, remember who I am.
How did you get into making music originally?
I started playing guitar when I was 21. I friend gave me a guitar and I started learning blues songs. I started recording. I moved to Nashville about six years ago to be with my family and started going out and playing little shows at cafes and clubs. One night, the man who would be my producer, Roger Moutenot, was in the audience, this is three years ago, and he came up and asked me if I would be interested in making music. I said 'Sure', so I took a stab at it.
What sort of a kid were you?
Pretty quiet and shy. I had a really big imagination because we spent a lot of time in the mountains, out in nature, and so I was usually playing outside with my brothers and sisters. I wrote a lot as a kid. I was a writer. I like to write poems and short stories when I was a little girl. I would share these with my sisters and we would invent games and stuff. I had my own little world as a little kid.
You have a very unique voice. When did you realize you had that sort of a singing voice?
I always loved singing. I started singing when I was a little girl, when I was like five at my school and the chorus. I was always picked for solos because I really enjoyed singing. I think it was apparent to a lot of the adults around me that I was a natural performer. I just always enjoyed singing a lot to Disney movies. I guess what I always wanted to do was perform.
What are your future aspirations?
Keep living. Stay human.
What's the scariest thing about being a music artist?
I think it's that you're putting something so personal out there into the world. You really have no control over on how it's received. It's just the complete lack of control. The scariest part is also the most liberating aspect of the job as well. It gives it up to the people to decide if they want to connect with you or not. When they do, it's from a place that's genuine, at least it is for me, but you're up for potential rejection.
Adia Victoria is set to play PJ's Lager House in Detroit with special guest Jena Irene Asciutto on Saturday, June 18th. She is also making her network television debut on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on June 22th. For more information, visit adiavictoria.com.