Nivea: Keeping It Real

Chatting with R & B sensation Nivea recently was like girltalk with a best gal pal. The 20-year-old grammy nominated singer (for "Don't Mess With My Man") is friendly, very open about her journey from Atlanta, Georgia to the top and grateful to family, God and friends for help along the way. As the voice behind the smash hit single, "Danger," by multi-platinum labelmate Mystikal, Nivea shines. Her appearance in the "Danger" video solidified her as an up and coming star. Early influences were Mariah Carrey and Aaliyah who made the artist feel that she could succeed too despite terrible shyness.

TeenMusic: Were you in chorus in High School?

Nivea: I went to a lot of different high schools and I was always in the chorus. I could not go to school and not sing. It was just fun when you get in that room and there's nothing but singers in there. It's a great environment. I didn't really want them to know I could sing but my teacher was always 'You're doing a solo'. I spent my four years of high school recording but never told anyone because I didn't want them to treat me any different. A lot of times it got out around the school 'Nivea is working with so-in-so' so I would leave school and go to another school. But it was cool. I was used to always being the new girl. I have a sister that's a year and a half apart from me and we would go to school together.

TeenMusic: Do your sisters sing too?

Nivea: My sisters sing but I'm the only one who wanted to make it my career. The one that is closest in age to me has three little girls. The other one has been recently married. That keeps them busy.

TeenMusic: You thank everybody in your life in your liner notes for your new CD. That's really nice.

Nivea: I had a pretty long journey arriving to this level. All of those people helped and there's really more now. All of those people contributed to me and the album getting released. I had to thank them.

TeenMusic: A lot of teens are very shy. How did you conquer it?

Nivea: I met my manager when I was fifteen and he just made me sing in front of my grandparents, my mom and I would just cry and fall on the floor 'I can't do it'. Eventually, I would say it took maybe about a year, I conquered it. But I'm still nervous before I go on. But I get on stage and it just goes away. You just have fun with it.

TeenMusic: How did you get your first break?

Nivea: My manager was affiliated with a lot of name producers in Atlanta. I would just go to their studios and hang out with recording stars and say 'hey, I can sing'. That's how I got on a lot of artist's records. I worked with the twins (Brian and Brandon Casey) of Jagged Edge when I moved over to a production company in Atlanta called Noontime. It was cool. We just built this 26 song demo just by doing that. It included "Don't Mess with My Man". I'm 20 years old now and I recorded that when I was 17.

TeenMusic: Who is singing with you on your new single "Laundromat"?

Nivea: Nick Cannon is on the video but R. Kelly is singing and Nick is on my album too.

TeenMusic: There are a lot of cute guys on your albums. How do you manage that?

Nivea: (laughs) Well, with Lil' Wayne, I was good friends with him and I just called him and said you want to be on "ya ya ya" and he came to Chicago and did that. R. Kelly, Nick Cannon, they're my label mates on Jive records.

TeenMusic: A lot of your songs deal with relationship problems. Are you sticking with that theme?

Nivea: Anything people can relate to. As you go through your life, it's based on relationships, whether it's work, personal, friendships, whatever. Everything is based on a relationship. I wrote and co-wrote five of the songs on my album. There are more I've written that didn't make this album will be on the next album. I just make sure I stay close to very realistic issues so people can say 'that happened to me' or 'my friend told me about it'. Even if I didn't write the song, we listen to it and say 'okay, this is cool. I can relate to that'.

TeenMusic: You are certainly hot but your outfits and look aren't as risque as some of the current hip hop and pop stars. Is that just who you are?

Nivea: I think that's who I am. I tried. I put on, for me, risque outfits, like short, shorts. I don't like to show my legs. What I had on at the Billboard awards, that's the first time I ever dressed like that. It was cute and all but I thought 'okay, now I know it's not for me'. I'm always down to try anything but after that day and a couple of photo shoots, I was like 'you know, I understand that this will never be my look. I just don't feel comfortable'.

TeenMusic: What would you like to do on an ideal date?

Nivea: I would maybe like to go out to eat, go to the movies and then go bowling.

TeenMusic: Who is in your CD player now?

Nivea: It's all mixed up. I was listening to Brandy's album, Lil' Wayne's album. After we worked together I went and got his stuff. I was waiting on Mariah's [CD]. Prince, I always listen to the "Purple Rain" soundtrack a lot.

TeenMusic: What is your weirdest fan encounter so far?

Nivea: Back in 2001, I went to Paris and I was there for a couple of interviews and there was this Black guy with an Asian girl. The Black guy spoke no English at all. He came to the hotel and he had on a jacket with my name spray-painted all over it. It was like a Nivea outfit. He had a picture of himself with a special note written to me. They were snapping pictures of me and saying 'oh, we love you'. He was speaking in his language, I think it was French. I wasn't known well then. It was weird.

TeenMusic: Who were your biggest personal influences growing up.

Nivea: From my mom to my manager to my sister. They all give you tips. My mom always says 'keep praying'. That's the most important thing to me. Act on it and do what I feel is the right thing to do. That's what helps me.

TeenMusic: Who are you dying to do a duet with?

Nivea: I would like to work with Missy Elliott. Lauren Hill. I want her to do something with me. That list would be long.

TeenMusic: If you had to stick a label on your sound, what would it be?

Nivea: I would like to consider myself as a very versatile artist. I'm really into a lot of different kinds of music from country to jazz to classical, even techno and reggae. I want to do everything and sing all types of music even if it's never released. It's all in me to do so I want to try it. R&B, pop, whatever you want to call it.

TeenMusic: What advice would you give teens to succeed in the business?

Nivea: Keep singing because the better you get at it... practice makes perfect. And just read about different places. I know some people come from a little country town and say 'I don't know how'. You should write letters to record labels and find out when they have seminars. They may be near your area. Just go out to the musical seminars. I didn't get involved in talent shows but it has helped a lot of people in their careers so if there are competitions you can enter, ask your parents to help you get involved.

TeenMusic: Do you have any interest in doing films or t.v.?

Nivea: I definitely want to get into basically all areas of entertainment from directing to designing. I'm getting into production now. So, I'm trying to do it all. I'm reading for something now.

TeenMusic: What do you want your fans to know about you?

Nivea: I believe that this industry is very cold and hard sometimes. Make sure whatever you do in life, go after it. If you want to be a shoemaker you should find out how to go about it because you can spend the rest of your life miserable doing something you don't want to do. Go out there and do what you have to do to get where you want to be in life. Live for yourself. (Keep up on Nivea news at her website www.niveamusic.com)

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Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.