Nardia, an Australian singer-songwriter acclaimed for her soulful fusion of R&B, blues, soul, and jazz, is steadily gaining international recognition through her evocative storytelling and commanding vocal presence. Recently securing a Top 5 placement at the 2025 International Blues Challenge in Memphis-the sole female artist in the band category among 400 acts-Nardia exemplifies a rare blend of emotional depth and musical versatility.
Her latest single, “Is It You,” is the lead release from her forthcoming album, Own Every Scar. It captures the subtle tension between hope and uncertainty that accompanies unspoken feelings. The song’s minimalist production foregrounds Nardia’s raw, expressive voice, allowing the listener to intimately engage with the narrative’s emotional core. This approach aligns with her broader artistic ethos: transforming personal vulnerability and nostalgia into compelling musical art.
The accompanying music video for “Is It You” enhances this narrative through a dreamlike setting – a nostalgic diner that blurs the line between memory and fantasy. This visual choice complements the song’s thematic exploration of longing and “what could have been”, inviting viewers to question the reality of the experience portrayed. Rather than detracting from the song, the video deepens the listener’s immersion into the emotional landscape Nardia creates.
Nardia’s songwriting is rooted in a profound relationship with nostalgia and the “what ifs” of life. She describes her creative process as drawing from fragments of dreams and half-remembered moments, using the ache of possibilities as a palette for her music. This reflective stance is not a trap but a source of endless inspiration, fueling the emotional authenticity that characterizes her work. Her ritual before recording-grounding herself in the song’s emotion through breathing, silence, or lighting a candle-underscores her commitment to sincerity and connection in performance.
Musically, Nardia navigates genres fluidly, finding distinct expressive freedoms in each. She identifies blues as the space where she feels most “dangerous,” appreciating its raw honesty that strips away artifice to reveal pain and power. Jazz offers her room for improvisation and emotional exploration in real time, while R&B allows her to embody a spectrum of feelings-vulnerability, sensuality, strength, and healing-within a groove that carries the listener through the narrative. This multifaceted approach situates her within a lineage of artists who use genre as a vehicle for storytelling and emotional truth.
Her work on Own Every Scar-created between Nashville and Memphis-reflects the profound influence of these iconic music cities. Memphis infuses the album with the spirit of soul legends like Al Green and Tina Turner, whose ability to channel raw emotion into song resonates deeply in Nardia’s music. Nashville contributes a focus on songwriting craftsmanship, emphasizing lyricism and narrative weight. Together, these influences challenge Nardia to honour a musical legacy while forging her own honest and fearless voice.
