Editors Note: When I heard that Nuriya was coming in from California to perform in NYC, I knew I had to let all of you know about it.  Nuriya’s music and strength in her performance are enough to inspire you to go after your own dreams and push through whatever might be holding you back.  Read below for details on her JULY 21st SHOW IN NYC!! ~Nitika~

It’s not just the curious force of her presence. It’s not just that the intensity of her voice and singing is matched equally by the presence of her raw, sultry dance. Nor, is it the whirling flavors of the Latin, Oriental and Gypsy traditions that find the audiences screaming and the critics applauding.

No – more than anything else, it’s the far-reaching allure of her soul that leaves journalists from the Sud Ouest Journal proclaiming Nuriya’s performances “bewitches the public!” And, anyone who’s experienced Nuriya live and on-stage, will be hard-pressed to deny that claim, which is why her July 21st show in New York City would be a perfect chance for you to check her out!

Not surprisingly, Nuriya’s journey to the music you hear today is just as unique. From her travels abroad and from her Middle-Eastern and Latin heritage, Nuriya has somehow fused her early classical training, her study at New York’s New School Jazz Conservatory, with her immersion into the sounds of Afro-Cuban culture, and the music of her people into compositions, dance, and vocal styles that simply defy a convenient label.

Her talent has not gone unnoticed either. She has attracted mentors like Jane Getz, Grammy-winning Los Munequitos de Matanzas, BBC Radio 3 award winner Yair Dalal, and Grammy nominee David Oquendo, Laurent Jais co-producer of Manu Chao and of Amadou et Mariam, to name a few. She has played for crowds of thousands and performed at esteemed venues throughout the world such as SOB’s NY, Drom NY, Central Park NY, Le Maroquinerie in Paris, Melkveg in Amsterdam,. House of Blues in Hollywood, Plaza de Catalunya in Barcelona, and Brandenburger Tor in Berlin among others.

Currently Nuriya is between the United States and the United Kingdom working on her album set to come out this fall. It is being co-produced and mixed by Jim Janik, co-producer and mixing engineer of Ojos de Brujo’s album “Techari”.  This newest work, pushes her sound even farther, incorporating elements of her experience with Babylon Circus’ 3W, including reggae, and hip-hop, with her unique fusion of Latin, Gypsy and Oriental sounds that have brought her the worldwide love and respect of fans and journalists alike.

Find her on the web HERE:

http://nuriyamusic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/nuriyaalmaya
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKZHSYc5oDU

BL: What is your favorite COLOR?  And, why?

NA: At the moment – deep, earthy red.  It’s vital and visceral – the epitome of life lived fully present for all joy and pain.
BL: How do you add COLOR to your world?

NA: Easy, with music, on the train, in the car, dancing within and without, and silence too.  Silence is also music.  It’s the blank canvas on which we’re able to hear the soul of the world.

BL: What was something difficult you’ve had to deal with, and how did you get through it?

NA: The loss of love compounded by physical illness.  To an onlooker the loss of love perhaps seems just a part of the journey – an initiation of sorts into the world of the heart – the same way that birth is an initiation to world of the living.  I have weathered experiences that on the outside appear to be far more dramatic than a break up.  The reason, however, that this particular separation was so difficult was because my heart literally broke – broke open that is.  It broke open in a way that I’d not known was possible thus blurring the separation from earthly self and the divine.  So, how did I get through?  Kundalini yoga, cold showers in the morning and enough vitamins and supplements to fill a small shop!  I know it sounds simple and that is precisely what I needed – simplicity.  The simplicity of a rigorous practice and burning desire to move through to the other side.  For me, this was all fueled by grace.  Clearly this was not a warm fuzzy experience but talk about adding color!  There is no way to add color with a heart unopened.

BL: What do you do to add COLOR to the world?

NA: Give it music! When I sing I can share the ecstatic divine fire.  I can also take your pain in my embrace with the fearlessness it takes to feel the dark side of life and walk through it.  Either way we’re raising holy sparks together!

BL: What advice would you give someone going through a seemingly unbearably tough time? Well, there are not short cuts and the dark night will eventually turn to dawn.  I believe that the first order of business is to forgive yourself.  Underneath much of our pain is often some sort of disillusion.  So, can we forgive ourselves for the pain, anger or apathy that we feel?  As long as we’re in suffering over the pain that we feel – we are stagnant and so is the world around us.  That in itself is double punishment.  The non-forgiveness cuts off all ventilation making it impossible to heal.  Then, in the process of forgiveness – it’s process because sometimes it takes a while to release – get close to whatever feels sacred to you.  Whatever it is, there is no right or wrong way.  For me it has been Kundalini yoga.  For someone else it might be surfing, bird watching, painting or going to stand-up comedy clubs five nights a week. The action doesn’t matter.  You’ll know when you experience the unshakable peace and wisdom of your soul.  So when you find the means to that experience take it to heart and keep doing it!

NA:

COME WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE IMENSELY TALENTED NURIYA ALMAYA:

When: July 21st at 10:00 PM

Where: NUBLU – 62 Avenue C, New York City

Why: Because her talent will leave you breathless and will be a kick in the butt towards being inspired!

Cost: $10 Cover