Today we’d like to introduce you to Nita Chawla.
Hi Nita, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
So I come from a very musical family. Music in our house was as natural and common as breathing air! I’m a first-generation Indian-American. My parents came to the United States from India in the late 70s, but they didn’t leave the Indian culture behind. On the weekends, my Dad loved to play tablas (percussion instrument that looks like two little drums) or harmonium (like an accordion but sits on the ground). He’d even set up mics too and we’d sing songs in Hindi and English! I didn’t think of it as practicing or performing, it was just for fun and what we did in our spare time.
At the age of five, I started taking piano lessons. I actually started my life in the deep south, in Vicksburg, MS (where I was born), but we left there when I was a baby and were a bit all over the place, including MD, Delaware, NJ, Chicago and Toledo, OH. So I believe I started taking lessons there but then stopped for a bit before we moved to Germantown, MD, which is where I pretty much grew up (outside of the D.C. area).
I picked up lessons again at the age of eight and I really loved it and loved my teacher. She was strictly into teaching me classical piano, but I loved her taste in music. She loved the romantic era pieces so she would choose a lot of Beethoven and Chopin pieces for me. I really excelled with her, but I remember her telling my Mom that I had “trouble expressing” myself!
I was very disciplined and practiced well and even started writing little instrumental pieces on the piano around the age of 11. In middle school, I took one semester of guitar and that opened up the door to something new for me…something a little more laid back and fun. I started learning every Jewel song I could (cause her album Pieces of You) had come out around that time.
I used to think that it would be so fun to write a song with lyrics, but honestly, I didn’t think I had it in me. I grew up listening to all the 90s chick songwriters like Tori Amos, Jewel, Sarah Mclachlan, Fiona Apple, and Sherly Crow. I loved their music, but I didn’t think I could do the same thing.
It wasn’t until my late teens, after a breakup that I did start to write. I didn’t like the song that much but I knew it was an opening to another world. I started to love writing and found a way to finally express myself through my words.
I was shy though so I didn’t share or perform my own songs too much. I sang my original songs at one talent show in high school but didn’t win any prizes and didn’t feel like people really cared.
It wasn’t until college that I started to perform my own songs again. The first time was at Friday Night Improvs at the University of Pittsburgh. They said they had a musical feature every Friday night and I got the courage to sign myself up. Then I signed up to play at Kiva Han….then when I finished school, I played more bookstore/coffeeshop type venues like Borders.
I was super shy though and would barely speak to the audience at first. But somehow, I felt confident while singing…so that’s what kept me going.
When I was 24, I joined my first band, called “Iritis”. It was such a departure from my singer-songwriter roots but I just wanted to be part of a band. It was essentially a dark/moody prog rock band (with very depressing lyrics, lol). That was when I really got experience playing gigs and we playing all over D.C., like The Wonderland Ballroom, Velvet Lounge, Rock n Roll Hotel and more. I loved the experience of performing with others and having support in booking shows, but musicially I wasn’t quite satisfied and wanted to go my own way.
In 2009 I flew to L.A. to record my first album “Fall Again EP”. The producer of that album ended up being the Dad of the band “Echosmith” (but at the time they were just four young kids performing locally in L.A.). I thought that maybe I wanted to move to L.A. but I honestly wasn’t ready yet and it felt too far for me. So instead, I moved to NYC.
I felt like I had a professionally recorded album and I was finally ready to pursue my dreams! I was determined to play out more. Every week, I was riding the path train and subways all the way to the lower east side, with my heels on and guitar in tow. Sometimes my cousins and a few friends would join and sometimes no one was there. It was super tough but I just had this ambition to “make it” whatever that means!
I was crashing on my cousin’s couch at that time (for one full year!). But after that much time, it was clear it wasn’t working. I was running out of savings and not making much (I was tutoring this girl and working at a restaurant). I felt tired and sick and just needed to return home…so I moved back to the D.C. area (to my parent’s house).
While home, I formed a new band with some friends. This time the band was focused around my own songs and it felt pretty awesome to see and feel those songs come to life! We played in the D.C. area again (the pinnacle being the Lincoln Theatre) in D.C… It was pretty great but then there was some band drama and we broke up around the beginning of 2013.
I always felt that the D.C. area was temporary for me and not really where I wanted to end up. I knew I was ready for L.A. this time. I was teaching and living in Arlington, VA for most of 2013-2014.
In the fall of 2014, I was facing some health challenges. But in the midst of all that, I got this lovely opportunity to attend a songwriting retreat in Austria. I was losing hope with my music career and feeling like maybe I was just spinning my wheels and getting older in the meantime. But this retreat changed my life met the most amazing people whom I’m still friends with today. The experience showed me that there were many opportunities in music and I didn’t have to “make it” like Beyonce or Taylor Swift to have a viable music career. My gift was worthy and I was worthy of pursuing the path of an artist/musician.
Finally in 2015, after I got past my health challenges, I made the decision to move to L.A. In August 2015, I moved on my own and was further from my family than I’d ever been.
Those were some of the hardest and most dynamic years of my life. I honestly feel like I performed less in L.A. (I was incredibly intimidated by other performers and with getting gigs there). But I continued co-writing with others. For me, the move to L.A. was almost more about my personal independence and growth more than anything. I learned how to take care of myself and become more emotionally independent for maybe the first time in my life.
In 2019 I took a songwriting class and started to co-write and release more music again, and this time music in different styles and genres. Music that was more uplifting and powerful. I was learning how to branch out of my typical style. I was learning more about production and arranging and getting really into that process.
In 2020 I chose to leave L.A… The combination of living in L.A. + pandemic had really done a number on my physical and mental health. I went back to MD to be with my family and decided that the next place I wanted to be was Austin. I chose Austin because I felt it would be more financially manageable but also because I wanted a different social experience. I wanted to be around people who I could really hang out with, a friendlier, more warm Southern experience. Hey afterall, I was born in the deep south so it’s in my soul!
The journey of music for me continues here in Austin. I continue to write and release new music and will be playing at the Austin Airport soon (once Covid clears a bit). I love making music and performing. And though I take breathers and breaks, I don’t think I’ll ever stop creating and releasing music. I just hope to keep growing as a musician and artist, to keep trying new things and breaking the old molds I’ve created for myself. I don’t really compete with anyone…to me, it’s just a personal journey of adventure and healing and it will never stop as long as I’m breathing 🙂
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?
No, it’s definitely not been a smooth road. I’ve had a lot of challenges along the way. As I mentioned, I’ve been very shy and had stage fright. Though I love writing songs and I love singing, I have trouble entertaining the audience and really allowing myself to connect or shine on stage. It’s been a process but I’m working on letting myself take up space, show up and connect with others…on stage and social media.
Also, I didn’t quite mention it but initially, my parents weren’t all that thrilled when I chose the path of music. I told them around my 2nd year of college and they simply said that I should choose what makes me happy and basically not blame them for anything. So I would say they were tolerant of my choice at first.
I felt very alone on this path and like on top of being in an already tough career path, I was doing it on my own. There was no one really cheering me on or encouraging me. I actually felt my family’s disapproval quite honestly and like maybe I was doing something wrong. But I was passionate enough that I didn’t back down.
I think the other major challenge has been finances. As a musician and artist, you need and crave time and space to create. But then you also have to live and pay bills. This meant doing a lot of odd jobs that don’t pay that well. I did this for a while until I started teaching music lessons and found that was a better way for me to make a living AND have time for my art! Although teaching has been generally stable for me, sometimes it is unpredictable still because students can cancel at any time.
On top of that, creating and releasing music takes both time and money! Releasing and promoting an album costs thousands of dollars, so I had to find creative ways of creating it for less money or learn how to do much of the production and marketing myself. That has really been one of my biggest challenges as an artist….how to create quality music and find my audience without a big budget (or make enough money to create and promote it on the level I want to!).
Anyway, despite the challenges, I am glad that my passion is greater than all of it…it’s why I keep going. Even when I’m tired, I feel the music and message deserve to be heard!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am primarily a singer-songwriter and performer! I love writing songs and have released two albums, several singles and three music videos (you can find on youtube). My absolute favorite thing is the songwriting process. There is no better feeling than getting a song idea and then figuring it out on the guitar or piano and writing it out or making the first demo. It is such a thrill every time! And though I am shy, I do love performing as well….and have been growing into feeling more and more comfortable with it as I get older and gain confidence.
A lot of times, people tell me they love my voice and find it soothing and healing. So I do think I have a special tone in my voice that is healing for people. I also think that in my songwriting, I have some wisdom to share in my lyrics. Many times I feel like these lyrics are given to me by my own muses as a source of inspiration to me initially, and my job is just to share that with others who are on a similar path. My songs have encouraged me to find healing, courage and freedom, so I just share that wisdom with others through my music. It’s especially for those who feel alone or like they need to walk down a difficult or unpaved path. I want my music to show them they aren’t alone.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
I’ve learned that it’s all about putting one foot in front of the next, breaking down my big dream into little pieces and celebrating along the way. Sometimes I had such big visions and would judge myself for not getting there in 2.5 seconds. But it’s a journey and process. And while I thought I was simply becoming a better musician and artist, I was also growing in independence and confidence along the way, both professionally and personally. It’s also been about learning balance and knowing when to push and achieve and when to take breaks and allow my mind/body and soul to rest.
Contact Info:
- Email: nitachawlamusic@gmail.com
- Website: www.iamnitamusic.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/iamnitamusic
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/iamnitamusic
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/iamnitamusic
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/nitamusic
Image Credits
Beach Images: Shayla Murphy Baldwin Park Images (In the orange jumper): Lei Phillips
