“I grew up between different cultures in my neighborhood,” says vocalist and songwriter Roxxa Nova, “people from Curacao, Suriname, Turkey, St. Maarten, and Africa. They inspired me to listen to all kinds of music and broadened my way of thinking.” See her perform or listen to her recordings once and you instantly feel the grab bag of influences she picked up during a childhood in Holland as one of three kids being raised by a single mother on public assistance. She learned to feel the street beneath her early on and just what it takes to groove in the real world. It’s easy to feel the mix of pop, reggae, funk, rock and jazz in her sound because the mix happens organically, in real time, effortlessly.

Nova is based in Aruba these days, living out a childhood dream of living in the tropics and creating her own music. “I always had a need to create and make music, she continues, “it’s a deep inner desire that I have and I have to express it daily. It’s like food and water, you need it to live.” She crafts music that is elegant, seductive, and powerful, music that moves the body as well as the soul. Her influences include Sade, Mariah Carey, UB40, Nina Simone, Bob Marley, Collie Buddz, Stick Figure, Toni Braxton, Ella Fitzgerald, the 70s music her mother played in the house during her early years, and more. What she does with that mix is uniquely her own.

“With my lyrics, I want to share my stories, my experiences to help others in life, to inspire them to do better or to process their pain and trauma,” she explains, “also, how to be yourself, be free, be powerful, the power of a woman. I want to give others hope that you can change any situation, because I know where I came from, and it was not good, and I tried and fought to make the best of my life.” Indeed, she comes across as a survivor in person and it’s clear that these artistic and humanistic goals are what drive her.

Nova was first noticed on Aruba as a dynamic performer in concerts, hotels, and corporate events. The feedback from those shows was so overwhelmingly positive that she is now bringing her original music to the island and the world at large. She’s fortunate to be surrounded by great musicians in her efforts, including her manager, producer, and drummer Jeremy Bonarriba, guitarist Mario Chow, bassist Sergio Silva, and keyboardist Hubert Thiel. Her first release will be the reggae track “Soothe Me,” which promises to be amazing as well as a glimpse of Roxxa Nova music yet to come. Whatever comes next, expect it to be all part of the evolution of this captivating and inspiring artist.

Soothe Me

Adult Contemporary

Comments                                                Add new Comment   View All