Chicago Songstress Nola Adé Shares New Single "Good Feelin’" And Her Thoughts On Love, Relationships, & Chasing Dreams

The windy-city of Chicago has a breath of fresh air with its newest Afro-soul sensation, singer-songwriter Nola Adé. Adé shares a unique gift of illuminating light through the face of a dark age in which drama seems to be always waiting around the corner. Her positive spirit and soulful voice invite others to appreciate life and love in the present regardless of life's challenges. 

On November 8th Nola released a new song “Good Feelin’” produced by Metro. “Good Feelin’ is a great song because it makes you want to chill and move to the beat at the same time. It’s a feel good song, and I want people to hear it and feel all warm inside while doing an involuntary body roll. The song title captures the intent of the song perfectly," Nola explains.

She took a moment to speak with Urban Influencer contributor Malachi Thornton on her positive outlook and life choices that guided her career path.

Where are you from?

Born and raised in Chicago.

Being Nigerian-American, how much does your cultural background influence you as an artist?

I think that it has a big influence on the type of music that I like which also has an influence on the type of music that I create. When I grew up I listened to Nigerian artists, Afrobeats, traditional gospel like gospel music church music feel like I had almost like a double a double side of everything where I went to school in the states and I went to school in Chicago on my life but at the same time I had a Nigerian upbringing in the household when I went back home it was a different environment but yeah it was cool to have the best of both worlds.

How long have you been making music?

I actually started singing when I was in my elementary school choir. That's pretty much where my love for it started and it grew from there. I didn't do much choir singing in high school but I did talent shows. I was always in the talent shows somewhere, they would just know me as "the singer girl". I did musicals too, I went to a liberal arts high school that was heavy on musicals and plays and things like that. In college, I was in another choir. After college I started taking voice lessons, that's when I started to get really serious about it. It was always something I had a passion for.

It's interesting you began your career as an entertainment lawyer, at what point in your life did you decide that you wanted to pursue things as an artist rather than someone who worked primarily on the business side?

So literally as soon as I got out of law school I started pursuing music. That's when I stepped on the scene as a professional and I released my first single and it was real. I did go to law school for that though. I got a certificate in intellectual property law so I would be able to do the entertainment law stuff when it comes to trademarks and copyright and reading contracts. I knew I wanted to pursue music full time from the beginning but it was also the influence of my parents. There was always an inclining when I was little, I wanted to be a lawyer and people would always tell me I should be. I feel like I can do so much with my law degree. I think I'm passionate about both but more so music because that's just who I am.

You really seem to have such an uplifting spirit and you give off such a positive vibe in your music. You named your debut album The Love Dance, why is love such an important theme in your artistry?

Well, I feel like as a human being, I love "love". The act of being in love and just the human experience is just something that relates to us all. I feel like its something that is important to everybody and it was something that was on my mind when I was writing that entire EP. So I feel like that was the common theme I write with often because I'm in that place. I'm in that place where I'm looking for love and I'm trying to maintain the love relationships that are in my life with the people that are there.

You're very colorful, is fashion something you take seriously?

Absolutely, I feel like that's how I connect with people. The color that pops in my opinion, it emotes feelings...it emotes good feeling or positive energy. I want a good feeling for lack of a better word. As I connect to that branding, because that's who I am, I'm connected to the people around me that gravitate towards that energy.

You just released a new single "Good Feelin", are you about to release a new project?

I'm putting together a body of work, I'm midway through it and this is one of the songs that really stood out to me and I wanted to allow fresh ears to hear it. This may or may not be a part of the project that I'm releasing.

Are there any other Chicago artists that you would love to work with?

Yeah, I stand by firmly the fact that we have so much talent here in Chicago. It's really hard to pin down specific up and coming artists like my peers who I know here in Chicago that are doing great things with their music and artistry and creativity. Peter Jericho is a good one, Sam Trop, Larry Brown Jr. If I would name people that were more established I would say Chance the Rapper. I love his music and his positivity and how he uses color, that so aligns with what I do as well. I'd like to work with Common, I love Common.

What do you want people to gain from listening to your music?

I want people to be refreshed. I want people to gain a new positive energy. I want them to feel the soul. That's my criteria when it comes to music, it's a question of "do I feel the music." I just want people to get energy from my music.

When can we expect the EP?

Definitely in 2018.

@nolaademusic