We recently connected with Nami Dae and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Nami, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
Being the only one in the room that looks like you is definitely not always easy to deal with. It is common for people to look down on you or generally just wonder what you’re doing there. There were many times that this happened to me growing up and I didn’t always take it well. Unless I was approached first, I would be too shy to engage in conversations and I didn’t talk to many people. However, I learned that it is better to walk into a room with confidence, because only then will you prove that your look was never an issue. Honestly, I’ve gotten more love for standing in my uniqueness than Ive ever gotten by conforming to be average. And I’ll continue to work in these rooms until the day that I am no longer the only one that looks like me in there.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am an LA-based singer, vocal arranger, and songwriter from New Jersey that enjoys blending genres such as R&B, hip hop, classical, and alternative rock. I have toured across the country and performed at venues such as the Apollo, Fenway Park, and the Red Bulls Stadium. I have also been in the Oscar award-winning movie CODA, where I got the chance to act and sing on the soundtrack. I recently dropped a single called “Insomniac”. The track was produced by the rising talent, and Kenny Beats battle winner, Shvne. The song paints the perfect soundscape of someone slowly losing their mind over their lack of sleep.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I think three qualities that were impactful in my journey were curiosity, relentless work ethic, and the ability to reinvent myself. All of these things were what helped me grow into who I am today. As a curious person, I’ve been fortunate to have some of the topics that I was simply curious about become what I focus most on, such as music and writing. Another thing that made my curiosity fruitful was the stubbornness to understand all that I could about those topics. Because once things started to get boring or confusing, I would understand enough to know how to turn what I didn’t enjoy, into something else I liked. Once I did that, the whole process would start all over because of the joy I got from it. So my advice to anyone in the early parts of their journey is to make sure that you always try to keep the joy in what you do, because it will make for much more enjoyable to experience.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
When I feel overwhelmed there are a few things that I like to do. First, I try to take some deep breaths so I don’t over-react and make things worse. Next, I like to take a walk and just be in nature. Being by ponds and trees definitely helps keep me grounded. Sometimes you actually just need to go sit in some grass. Once I’ve calmed myself down I like to pray. At this point I am just meditating to try and figure out the root of the problem and what small steps I can take to make things better. This process came with much trial and error but overall, its been helpful to me these past few years.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @nami.dae
- SoundCloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/a1UV3
Image Credits
Devin Smith Donnell Williams Matt Mahjoub
