From Melbourne to Memphis: Nardia Reclaims Soul for a New Generation

Soul music has always been built on tension — the sacred and profane, heartbreak and healing, performance and truth. But few new artists walk that line as gracefully as Nardia. Her latest single “Is It You” is more than a dreamy slow burn — it’s a statement of intent. One that says she’s not here to imitate legends; she’s here to join them.

The track, like much of her upcoming album Own Every Scar, was shaped between the soulful shadows of Memphis and the songcraft sanctuaries of Nashville. That decision alone says everything. She’s not interested in easy wins or safe paths — she’s chasing the ghosts of genre giants and asking what they would sound like now.

The song itself is deceptively simple. A hushed progression, tender keys, and a vocal line that feels like it’s been plucked from the middle of a long-lost love letter. But don’t mistake its gentleness for passivity. There’s a fierce confidence in how Nardia lets silence breathe. In how she builds tension not with production, but restraint.

Where most emerging artists fight to be loud, she dares to be quiet. That’s not just a stylistic choice — it’s a challenge to an industry obsessed with immediacy. She knows that good soul music doesn’t slap you in the face. It sneaks up on you. It haunts you. It lingers in your chest long after the last note fades.

What makes “Is It You” feel so vital is how it connects the dots between eras without pandering to nostalgia. Sure, you can hear echoes of Ann Peebles, Lauryn Hill, maybe even a trace of Etta in the phrasing — but it never feels derivative. That’s the magic of Nardia: she remembers, reveres, and reimagines.

This is someone who’s sung Etta James tributes with Jimi Hocking, shared stages with Russell Morris, and crooned to Beyoncé’s VIP guests. But none of that would matter if her music didn’t land. And “Is It You” lands with elegance and purpose. It’s not just a standout single — it’s a signal flare from a rising force in soul.

If the rest of Own Every Scar carries the same emotional intelligence and genre-defying vision, we’re not just looking at a new album — we’re witnessing the next great crossover artist. One who doesn’t need to shout to be heard.

Nardia’s voice — and vision — is loud enough already.