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For long stretches of the past quarter century, New York has been synonymous with fresh, up-and-coming musical talent. Its combination of worldliness, unique hybrid culture, and energy was a wellspring for creatives, but as of late, it's been lacking. That is until N3WYRKLA, repping NJ originally, stormed back with a stylish, multi-genre sound that hits all the senses with splendor. A soundclash of genres, embodying the grittiness of street-level sounds, meshed with high fashion art emotions, her latest EP it's not you, it's me cements her as one of the best new artists, regardless of city. Wanting to dig into her unique approach more, we reached out to get the scoop on her latest EP, late-night eats, and favorite new artists.

Ones To Watch: Who is N3WYRKLA?

N3WYRKLA: So my government name is Nyla… N-Y-L-A. Which is N3WYRKLA (New York - LA) lol. I used the 3 instead of E because my initials have three N’s (N.N.N.)

What is it's not you, it's me all about?

it's not you, it's me is about taking accountability in the part that I play sometimes in relationships. It’s also about being honest with myself. I feel like with this EP I’m in my villain arc. The production/topic lines are very bold; especially with songs like "i cheated too," "forgot to mention," and "not enough."

You cover a lot of tempos and genres on this EP. How'd you settle on your sound?

I wanted this EP to be more R&B than my last project, but still weird and in that alternative vibe as well. Me and my producers definitely spent time on the production and figuring out what worked and what didn’t work... how we could blend the sounds cohesively. A large part of that also came with the delivery of melodies on my end.

Any collaborations or features? Who produced the EP?

Yeah, the EP just has one feature. I did another collaboration with Brent Faiyaz on "not enough." He did his thing on there. It sits in a weird pocket because the production is so different, but it comes together nicely. He brought an R&B feel to a record that was super indie/The Japanese House inspired. It’s one of my favs on the EP. Most of the production is by Alex Mcqueen. He is definitely one of my favorite producers I’ve worked with, we lock in a lot; and then there’s also production/added guitars from great producers Mavericc, Josh Lerner, Hank Byerly, Robert Reynolds, and FG Moore. Then also, I produced on "i cry too."

Ambitions for this EP? Where do you want it to take you?

I hope that it is a stepping stone to get a good fan base reeled in, and excited for what's next. I definitely think this EP showcases what different things I can do sonically coming off of my last project. Hopefully, it leads to some live shows/festival performances. I’m excited to start hitting the stage.

We love your styles and fits. How important is the visual component to your music? 

Thank youuu! A good visual is key for me. I feel like with the music I make, it definitely takes you somewhere and tells a story, so having a well-thought-out, intentional visual is always good. The whole process of shooting a video is fun for me so it’s kinda a plus. I like getting dressed and being on camera and creating.

Besides this excellent EP, what else should we be on the lookout for?

Live shows. I’ve been rehearsing a lot and getting that together. I’m also working on my debut album and ideas on what I want that to sound like and what story I wanna tell.

What's inspiring you right now outside of music?

Life in general. I have been going out more and meeting a lot of new people. I feel like interactions with new people and the stories they share/things they say play a part in my inspiration. Especially when writing songs and catching a vibe.

Classic NJ food or drink best suited to enjoying your work?

Hmmmm. I’d have to say Wawa. If I’m recording in Jersey, it’s usually really late and nothing is open except for Wawa. I’ll have the munchies too. Sometimes I get sandwiches, smoothies, and some candy/chips. They have everything tbh.

Who are your Ones To Watch?

Teezo Touchdown for sure. I think he’s fire. His persona and sonically. His debut album was amazing, he does a good job with just being authentically himself. I think another Ones To Watch for me would be Lihtz. He’s from Philly. He recently dropped a song called “Serenity.” Sounds beautiful and I haven’t heard something with the type of feeling it has in a while. I’m definitely watching to see what he drops next.