Tampa soul singer Demi Nova turns bullshit into good shit on "Inner G" — listen

At a recent album listening party, Tampa soul singer and songwriter Demi Nova was candid about the creation of her debut full-length, The Infinite.

“I am a vessel. The music that comes out of me is not just for me,” she said. “It’s for everybody else.”

Read: Super Nova — Demi Nova is Tampa Bay's newest rising soul artist

The seven song effort was recorded at Paris Studios in Tampa with the help of Bay area producer J. Walt and Nova’s band, Blaq Pocket. The whole of Infinite is an impassioned, self-realized statement on growth and empowerment, and LP closer “Inner G” has caught the ear of fans and industry tastemakers like DJ Sandman who first heard the track live at the AZ1 Awards. The DJ and radio personality is considered by many to be a godfather of Tampa Bay hip-hop. He is a fixture at countless shows and throws his weight behind local acts he believes in.

“I thought she was amazing on stage; [she] had the confidence of a seasoned professional and a beautiful voice,” Sandman, told CL in a message, adding that the Nova’s passion and pure love of the record is what led him to bring the track to his show on 95.7 FM The Beat.

“I can tell that she creates out of passion and not just to be 'famous' some day as some artists do. She's been very active in the local scene in the past year and currently has a really strong buzz,” Sandman added.

That should be encouraging for Nova, who says she wrote the song after getting laid off a pharmacy job.

“[Getting let go] made me realize that until you are expendable until you have and can create a purpose, craft, revenue for yourself,” Nova told CL in this interview. “You have to take time to fill your own cup back up. Loving yourself, living your truth, accepting past transgressions of ourselves and others. A place of acceptance. And to be in that space to be able to create is very necessary.”

Listen to the track, and read our full Q&A below. Read our feature story on Demi Nova here, and get information on her album release party via local.cltampa.com.

Demi Nova w/Nico Sweet/Trumaine Burrell/Jai Price/DJ Qeys

I’d really like to get some basics down and introduce you to the community. Mind helping/correcting me on these?

Born: Nashville, Tennessee

Grew up: Atlanta, Georgia

Moved to Tampa for a pharmacist job: Four years ago

Current Neighborhood: Brandon

Universities attended: Tennessee State University and Mercer College of Pharmacy. Summer internships at Duke and UPenn.

Greek affiliation: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated

Record: The Infinite

Recorded at: Paris Studios by Eric Maldonado

Mixed and mastered with: J.Walt

Your band Blaq Pocket is: Champagne O (violin), Charles Cody (keys), Karti Ex (percussion), Ron Williams (bass)

You met the band...

...during various times on the music scene. From the beginning, the vibe and energy was there, so we've been rolling ever since. They are all very talented musicians, and I am glad to be able to perform with them each and every time. They see the vision. They have helped me mold the vision.  The entire album is live instrumentation. Blaq Pocket poured its heart and soul into The Infinite. And I'm forever grateful.

I saw that you also played Tampa Black Heritage Foundation, besides some GMF appearances and a few club shows, what live history are we missing?

I've performed at various festivals including being a feature artist for A3C Hip Hop Conference in 2016 and locally performed at Rock the Park Tampa, Rhapsody Suite, Tampa Bay Music Conference 2016, AZ1 Awards 2016, Wine and Rhyme, Art and Soul, Ignite the Night, The Cypher, and many others.

Upcoming shows include...

The Demi Nova Experience album release/birthday party on April 14 at The CL Space 7p-11p.  The next day, April 15, I have the honor New World Brewery 22nd anniversary show.

In your bio it says you danced with Tina Turner and for Coretta Scott King. Can you please explain? Did it have to do with step team?

I've been dancing since I was four. It has always been my place of freedom. I grew up participating in spring and winter recitals doing ballet, jazz, hip-hop, etc. I was blessed with many opportunities to display my craft. My dance studio was the featured entertainment for a Martin Luther King Program honoring Coretta Scott King. I also was a member of my high school and college dance teams. When Atlanta hosted the Super Bowl, I had the privilege of being chosen as one of Tina Turner and Travis Tritt's background dancers for the pregame Show. I was a member of my college sorority step team as well. Throughout the years, I've continued to work on my choreography and make sure I am still flexible!

In “Inner G” you talk about some hard times. At the release I sensed that it might have been from a previous relationship that wasn’t healthy, but was there anything else happening in your life at the time of writing that forced you to find that positive energy?

It wasn't from a relationship. I had gotten laid off from a job and it made me realize that until you have and can create a purpose, craft, revenue for yourself, you are expendable. It made me realize that circumstances can either make or break you, but circumstances never last. There is always choice. There is always a chance to fix "it" (whatever it may mean to you). I wrote "Inner G" to grab myself out of the rabbit hole and remember who I am. What I am. What I am becoming. And I believe the message can apply to anyone. 

How long does it take Blaq Pocket to get ready for a Demi Nova show? Obviously you created the album together, but you must always be wanting to evolve the set and really refine it.

Luckily, I have musicians that like to practice just as much as I do. We are always adding subtracting, and multiplying to the show.  We want it to be the best representation of ourselves. So practice makes better.

Your life and your band’s life is obviously very busy, but what are the chances of you all going on a tour?

I would love to go on tour. The probability of that happening is very high. A lot of my logistics say the majority of my fan base is in Europe. So, Im definitely for the idea of a worldwide tour.  

I like your story about your parents telling you that you and your siblings (your the oldest of four, YES) were gonna get your shit together no matter what. Could you explain why your parents were/are that way? Was your childhood social circle the same way?

Haha, it wasn't so much of a get your shit together, but more of a don't limit yourself and always strive to be the best. My grandparents went to college, my parents went to college, so it was a no brainer that us kids were going to college. Growing up in Atlanta, it was very apparent what working hard could get you. Success and influence oozed throughout the city. The melting pot of so many cultures and examples of business owners and entreprenuers became a part of my mental vision board. Ive always loved to create, but I also love being analytical and solving calculations in my head. Doing both helps to create my balance. The best of both worlds. Right brain, left brain. My corpus callosum is lit.

At what point in your childhood did you realize that (a) you loved to sing and (b) have a story to tell through song?

I started writing short stories and poems in elementary school. For Christmases, I would convince my siblings to perform a dance I made up in front of the family. So I guess, as far back as I can remember, its been a part of my makeup. Songwriting is always something that intrigued me. You have roughly three minutes to create a scene, a picture into time. When you create your own story, your own narrative, it's yours. It's your truth. It's your emotion to display. I've always loved the feeling of that.  

You mentioned being shy at one point in your life? Why the need to sing then? How do you think your life would be different if you didn’t have this outlet?

I still am kinda shy. Sometimes, I'm socially awkward. I could be thinking of song lyrics, or listening to the music in the background or the way the singer hits a certain note, or I could be thinking about that new ramen restaurant and if they are on Uber Eats, or if it's Mercury retrograde, or who knows...sometimes I can get lost in the sauce. I need to sing. I need to perform. It's my therapy, it's my safe zone. The one place where I can release it all and not care. Who cares if I didn't hit that note or missed that break in the music...I'm free. The honor of having someone listen to what I have to say, I don't take for granted.

The themes in your album are universal, but is there any reluctance from you as far as revealing too much? It seems like you keep specifics out of the narrative so that listeners can focus on the big picture.

I like to keep my stories general so that everyone can relate. I prefer using innuendos and metaphors. I don't have to describe every detail for the picture to be painted. That way, it allows the listener to draw their own conclusions.

Oh man, that “Earth(A)” interlude. Do you remember when you first came across that (I know you go into YouTube black holes)? Would your record or life be different if you didn’t hear that message? I mean at the end she goes back to that piece about loving yourself first.

I think at times, I felt as if I had to fit a mold or dim parts of my light for the comfort of others. But I soon realized, its only because that wasn't my tribe. I'm surrounded by supportive, creative, intuitive beings that get it. I can be free, I can be quirky, I can be aloof. This is me, authentically. You have to take time to fill your own cup back up. Loving yourself, living your truth, accepting past transgressions of ourselves and others. A place of acceptance. And to be in that space to be able to create is very necessary.

You’ve got a lot of support from the community. Can you talk about some of those players and how they’ve lifted you up?

I'm overwhelmed by the amount of love I've received. Thank you to everyone who has helped me along the way. Thank you for the opportunity. Thank you for allowing to rock your platform. Thank you you for listening.

Was there anything you learned about yourself in the process of making this album?

I learned preserverance. Setting a date for an album release without having an album finished made me push and put my foot on the gas. This is what I want to do. This is the life I want to create for myself. My album release birthday party on April 14 will be my story, my way. A vibe, a wave, an experience. I had a strong support team that pushed me along the way. From friends to family to perfect strangers, I got motivation along the way- much like running a marathon.

What’s next for you?