June 2018: Nyla Symone

Happy June Creative$! Hope everyone is having a great start so far! This month we got some cool things dropping on zinzabell. So let's get to it! We are kicking off the month with this exclusive interview with our Creative of the month; DJ/Interviewer Connoisseur Nyla Symone! She has been making a name for herself at Power 105.1; getting the blessings from many of the greats in her industry. When she's not DJing for the hottest radio station in NYC or interviewing some of the hottest artists, Nyla is making sure she's making your party one to remember. Peep below with our Creative of the month, Nyal Symone!

1. I know it is usually you giving the interview haha but now it's your turn! Tell us a little bit about yourself!

My name is Nyla Symone, I am 22 years old, I am an African American. I was born in Germany, I grew up in Maryland (Anne Arundel County) and I have made Queens, New York my home after graduating from St. John's University.

2. When did you realize your ear for music? Did you always know what you wanted to be when you grew up?

I've always had an ear for music since I was a kid. My father was always passionate about making music and was my favorite artist growing up. But besides that I was that kid downloading music from Limewire, burning CD's to sale to other people, spending hours on Youtube studying 90's Hip Hop, and I never missed an episode of 106 & Park, needless to say this culture raised me. I use to LOVE DJ K Swift on 92.Q and I would beg my mom to take me to DTLR to buy all her new tapes when they dropped. I knew growing up I wanted to do something with music but being from a small town, I never really saw my dream as something that could be attainable. 

3. How did you come up with your DJ name? 

My DJ name is my real name haha Nyla Symone - my first and middle name!

4. Hahah! That's always original! So, tell us Nyla, how has it been working for a mega radio station like Power 105? How did you get there? 

Working at Power 105.1 has been honestly a dream come true. I couldn't ask for a better company or team to work with. Everybody there is like my family. I landed my job with iHeart after I was able to Interview Angie Martinez with my good friend Gabe at WSJU while she was on a book tour for "My Voice". From there I landed an internship for The Angie Martinez Show and worked my way through the ranks. Side note I am so thankful to be under the wing of such strong, prominent women in the Industry; Thea Mitchem, Angie Martinez, Honey German, because as a woman in a male dominated workforce it's so easy to be intimidated, overlooked, and sexualized, but my mentors have taught me how to properly maneuver in this industry. 

5. What advice would you give someone wanting to get in the industry like yourself? 

My advice for anyone wanting to get into the industry I would highly encourage them to start a blog. Blogging is a MAJOR KEY. That's how I got my foot in the door in the industry. I had a personal blog, then I started blogging for the Knockturnal, and a few months later I was able to land a job at The Source magazine, which was a big deal for me because I used to read them with my dad growing up. I was even able to get an interview I did with Lala published in the physical magazine in 2017.

6. What's next for Nyla? What do you have lined up for the Summer/rest of 2018?

I don't know what's next for me, but I do know that I will be doing mad parties this summer so anyone reading this feel free to pull up, show love, I will show love back.

7. Where can people go to follow and listen to you?

Follow me on IG @nylasymoneee to keep up with my DJ Mixes, my parties, my interviews, all that. Website coming soon.