Podcast Summary: Takin' a Walk

Episode: Inside Music Stories: Niia Joins Buzz Knight to Discuss Her New Album and Creative Process
Host: Buzz Knight (iHeartPodcasts)
Guest: Niia
Release Date: December 2, 2025

Overview

In this episode of "Takin' a Walk," Buzz Knight invites Italian-American jazz-pop artist Niia to discuss the making of her fifth studio album, V. The conversation dives into Niia's creative process, her roots, key collaborators, musical inspirations, and her quest to blend genres within a contemporary jazz landscape. The episode balances insightful artistic revelations with light-hearted, personal anecdotes, giving listeners an authentic look at an evolving musician navigating modern jazz.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Reflections & Dream Collaborations (03:48–05:12)

• Buzz Knight kicks off with his signature question: who would Niia want to take a walk with, living or dead?
  • Niia: "Maybe with Ella Fitzgerald. I think she'd be a good one." (04:10)
  • Envisions a walk through New York City with the jazz legend, eager for her wisdom.

2. Roots and Upbringing (05:12–05:49)

• Niia grew up just outside Boston, in Needham, went to school in Newton, and honed her early music skills in the Boston area.
• Buzz and Niia share "Boston roots" creating instant rapport.

3. Making of V: A Personal Milestone (05:49–07:02)

• Niia declares V her most personal album yet.
  • "I was the boss." (06:48)
  • Learned to trust her instincts, recognizing when the record was truly finished, a departure from her past tendency to defer to others.

4. Collaboration and Producer Dynamics (07:02–10:10)

• Key collaborators: Spencer Zahn and Lawrence Rothman.
  • Lawrence described as "cutthroat, brutally honest, and radically determined." (07:39)
  • "Lawrence walks in with a cowboy hat, yelling at me, and then Spencer's more like, tell me about your feelings... yin and yang." (08:45)
  • Spencer brought melodic, ambient jazz sensibility, contributing an emotional, balancing touch to the project.
• On collaboration:
  • "I think sometimes being an artist, you're so...all about yourself, but you can lose perspective." (09:31)
  • "It's only therapy, really, you know, and it's the best." (09:31)
• Jazz ensembles taught Niia to listen and value those she works with; she seeks to be surrounded by people who challenge her (10:14).

5. Jazz Influences & Favorite Artists (10:59–12:07)

• Jazz icons like Chet Baker and Ella Fitzgerald loom large for Niia.
  • "Chet Baker gets me every time." (11:02)
• She reminisces about sneaking into jazz clubs in Boston with her mom, and studying under Rebecca Paris and Cassandra Wilson in high school.

6. Creative Process & Artistic Sensibility (12:07–13:20)

• Described as someone who "sings like a slow pour." Buzz explores how this patience shapes her process.
  • "I am a slow poor. It takes me a while to arrive at things." (12:27)
  • Niia emphasizes reflection over speed, preferring to "get in the shallow end first" before fully exploring creative depths.

7. Jazz as First Love & Genre Experimentation (13:20–16:35)

• Jazz was Niia's first musical love, though she explored other genres.
• She noticed a resurgence and modernization of jazz, feeling "jealous, but also happy."
  • "I wanted to find a bridge between the two [traditional and experimental jazz] and take some risks." (14:34)
• V intentionally balances live musicianship with electronics, avoiding a "throwback album" in favor of timelessness.
  • "I didn't want to make an album that sounds like it's from the 40s." (15:27)
  • Producer and player selection was "very important" to achieving this sonic blend.

8. Surprising Influences: Death Metal (16:35–18:52)

• Niia surprises Buzz by revealing a recent fascination with death metal.
  • "I've been listening to a lot of death metal recently, which is crazy. It surprises me every time." (16:42)
• Influenced in part by touring Germany and the visual/aural energy of the genre.
  • Example: "Mortician...they also incorporate a bunch of old horror, like, audio clips in their music." (18:22)
• Appreciates the raw, emotional expressiveness—even if it's diametrically opposed to her own style.

9. Cultural Identity and Emotional Expression (19:19–20:31)

• Her Italian-American upbringing seeps into her music through emotional expressiveness and a love of cinematic, dramatic soundscapes.
  • "I grew up...listening to a lot of film scores. Ennio Morricone, Nina Roda...I love the drama." (19:28)

10. Aspirations & Perspectives on Provocation (20:31–22:46)

• Dreams of scoring a film or contributing to movie soundtracks.
• On being labeled a "provocateur":
  • Sees herself as an introvert who takes risks in her art, inspired by the rebelliousness of jazz greats.
  • "[Jazz] has gotten so buttoned up that I really wanted to shake it up a little and make it a bit edgier and explicit, because that's the jazz I was taught, you know, it's hardcore to some degree. It's a bit punk." (21:27)
  • Wants her album to "bridge the gap between traditional jazz and...how it can show up now in like, you know, 2026 almost." (22:42)

11. Reception & Fulfillment (22:46–23:17)

• Buzz congratulates Niia on V. She reflects on its release:
  • "I never really got into music to share it. It was always kind of the thing that helped me. And now it's just so exciting to see how people respond and the right people get it." (23:01)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "I was the boss." – Niia on taking charge creatively. (06:48)
• "Lawrence walks in with a cowboy hat, yelling at me, and then Spencer's more like, tell me about your feelings. So I got kind of the yin and yang of the best balance." – Niia, describing her producers’ contrasting energies. (08:45)
• "It's only therapy, really, you know, and it's the best." – Niia on the collaborative artistic process. (09:31)
• "I am a slow poor. It takes me a while to arrive at things." – Niia on her creative approach. (12:27)
• "I've been listening to a lot of death metal recently, which is crazy. It surprises me every time." – Niia, on her current musical obsessions. (16:42)
• "Jazz has gotten so buttoned up that I really wanted to shake it up a little and make it a bit edgier and explicit, because that's the jazz I was taught." (21:27)

Important Timestamps

• 03:48–05:12 – Dream walk with Ella Fitzgerald
• 05:49–07:02 – Creative control on V
• 07:02–10:10 – Collaboration with Lawrence Rothman & Spencer Zahn
• 10:59–12:07 – Jazz influences and beginnings
• 12:07–13:20 – Niia’s artistic temperament and process
• 13:20–16:35 – Jazz experimentation and studio process
• 16:35–18:52 – Surprising playlist choice: death metal
• 19:19–20:31 – Italian-American influence
• 20:31–22:46 – Provocation in jazz and album’s purpose
• 22:46–23:17 – Album release reflections

Final Thoughts

This episode spotlights Niia's journey as a jazz artist unafraid to experiment, embrace vulnerability, and connect deeply with collaborators. Her thoughtful reflections illuminate the modern jazz landscape and what it means to honor tradition while pushing creative boundaries. Fans of jazz, genre fusion, and artistic process will find her story particularly inspiring.