Meet Nbs Malay

We were lucky to catch up with Nbs Malay recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nbs , we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?

I developed my confidence and self-esteem through consistent practice and unwavering belief in myself. I’ve learned that even a sliver of doubt can plant the seed of failure. When you allow doubt to creep in, you’re telling yourself that you can’t do it—and that’s exactly what will happen. I’ve always pushed myself to silence those doubts and trust in my abilities, and that mindset has been key to building the confidence I have today.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

My name, Nbs Malay, stands for Naturally Beautiful and Sophisticated. I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember—music has always been my outlet for peace. When I moved to West Virginia, I participated in open mics and showcases that reignited my passion. That experience gave me an epiphany: maybe this was exactly what I needed to bring back home to Springfield, Massachusetts. So, I packed my bags, returned home, and founded Speak N Eat Open Mic, LLC on May 14, 2018. This platform is more than just an event—it’s a family I created. Bringing people together to be creative, connect, and show love is my proudest accomplishment.

I’m also a published author with a diverse range of works, including mystery novels, poetry collections, and even books on online dating. I often perform pieces from my books at select events as part of my mission to inspire others through motivational speaking. Additionally, I’m an actress with several shows and movies currently in circulation, and I’m incredibly excited about these new ventures.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Patience, communication, and determination have been three essential qualities in my journey. My advice to anyone starting out is to be patient—with yourself and with others. Take the time to understand how people perceive and interpret things. Don’t be quick to jump to conclusions or arguments. Instead, develop strong critical thinking skills and engage in conversations with an open mind, rather than preparing a response before truly listening.

Never give up on your dreams, no matter how hard it seems. My grandfather always told me, “It’s only hard if you don’t want to do it.” That lesson has stuck with me. You have to push yourself and choose faith over fear. The key to strengthening these qualities is to silence doubt by speaking positivity into your life. Remove “can’t” from your vocabulary—because you can do anything you put your mind to.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

The biggest challenge I’m facing right now is keeping up with social media to effectively promote myself. Platforms have complex algorithms that determine how, when, and who sees your content—and if you’re not paying, your posts often get pushed to the bottom. Balancing my personal life, businesses, and managing social media for my showcases, books, movies, and music can be overwhelming.

To overcome this, I’ve enlisted the help of my friend Brittany, who assists with Speak N Eat’s messages and promotions. I’ve also started creating content around relatable topics to spark conversations and invite people to the shows. Engaging with my audience in a meaningful way helps build connections and keeps people interested, even when the algorithms aren’t in my favor.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Chucky Crespo Photography

IG: https://www.instagram.com/chuckysphotos?igsh=bm5oM2lkazY4bmI5
FB: https://www.facebook.com/share/15QjrNZN9i/?mibextid=wwXIfr

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