She was born into music, and with her dad as the wind beneath her wings, she intended to soar.
Narii Vasquez’s father was a singer, and from her days at church, she honed her skills hoping to one day set foot on the big stage.
Narii was singing from about seven years old and she credits her dad with teaching and inspiring her from the outset.
So, in 2019 when she released her first song, it was just for fun. However, those who heard it took it seriously and the feedback was beyond her expectations.
“I wasn’t really taking it seriously at the time, but once I started getting positive reactions, that’s when I realised I could really do something with it,” Narii told the MIDWEEK NATION from her home in Croatia.
Though brimming with passion, Narii still felt that the lights of the big stage were not illuminated for her and, in fact, were on a distant horizon that was beyond her reach.
Born in Barbados, and conscious that international superstar and National Hero Robyn Rihanna Fenty was the only entertainer to reach that level globally, Narii admitted that she harboured some reservations.
“So for a while, I treated music more like a hobby and focused on other things. I actually went down a different path and studied journalism in college and earned my bachelor’s degree at a young age, completing college in the United States in about three years,” the 23-year-old entertainer said.
Thereafter, she worked in digital marketing and as a personal assistant to two lawyers.
Wake-up call
Narii’s wake-up call came when her dad passed and everything “really shifted for me”. She started to look at music differently and took it more seriously.
For dad, Narii was his “superstar” and that stayed with her.
Now, embodied with a resoluteness to make her dad proud with a sound that blends tropical R&B, dancehall, pop, and melodic trap, she has refocused on a journey to fulfil that superstardom he saw in her.
Narii, who was been singing professionally for six years, knew that it would not have been an easy journey as she had faced testing personal issues while growing up.
“I’ve had to work through some mental health challenges, including bipolar disorder that affected different areas of my life – my relationships, friendships, even how I connected with family at times.”
Deep introspection
This led to feelings of isolation, forcing her into deep introspection.
However, over time she has grown exponentially, becoming more self-aware and having greater control of her life. She noted that the experience helped shape her into a stronger person.
Being exposed to various cultures as she travelled, in conjunction with building her own music career, Narii said it brings a sense of satisfaction.
“Just being able to see growth in myself – both personally and professionally – has been a big accomplishment for me.”
A “very experimental” artiste, Narii said her sound lives mainly in tropical R&B with strong pop influences.
Her repertoire includes the recently released Flexing, a collaboration with Bajan artiste Sanctuary, that’s number five on the Caribbean Top Ten, Piña Colada, Sex In The Morning, Papi, Run It Up and Cuddles For Christmas.
“My biggest release so far has been Flexing, and that song really changed things for me. I actually recorded it about a year before releasing it. I didn’t want to put it out right away because I knew it had potential [but] I just didn’t have the right team or resources at the time to push it properly.”
So, Narii waited and it has proven to be an excellent decision.
“Now, everything is flowing the way I envisioned. The response has been amazing, and it’s connecting with people exactly how I expected it to.”
The singer said the message behind Flexing is about soft, feminine energy – feeling secure, taken care of and at peace in a relationship. It’s a different way of expressing that idea – like, he’s flexing, but in a way that makes one feel safe and supported.
“Being in the top five on the Caribbean Top Ten feels amazing. It’s a big moment for me – it’s really putting my name out there and allowing more people to hear my message and see me as an artiste. For a while, I felt like I wasn’t being fully seen or heard, so to have Flexing open that door means a lot.”
She has worked with a few writers – Sanctuary Vibez and Felicia Hardy, but overall, she has written all but two of her compositions.
Those distant lights Narii once feared were not illuminated for her are now caressing her career and she intends to flex more determinedly while reaching for the international stage with the world as her audience. (John Boyce)
