12: Don't Be Better: Be Different and Be Unforgettable

The Salisha Show with Salisha Thomas

Nyla Watson is a dedicated actor, concert artist, voice coach, and competition singer in the New York City community. She is also the founder of Queen Nyla Studios, a progress-driven studio for those committed to being lifelong students and growing in their art. Today, she shares her journey of getting her Master’s Degree, to getting into Broadway, to touring with musicals such as Wicked and The Color Purple. She will also share her experience of giving her life to God and how it helped her to find who she truly is in life.

Personal Successes and Disappointments

[04:41]

Nyla recently lost weight during the pandemic and pridefully connected her weight loss journey with her fame. She had personal success during the pandemic but got disappointed when she didn’t get the chance for Broadway. She then had a conversation with her father and her mentors and coaches to talk her into gratitude for the moments she had.

Nyla’s First Thought on Musicals

[08:06]

Being a student of a catholic school, Nyla viewed musicals as a bunch of choirs from churches. She viewed musicals as singing in churches and doing gospel leads.

God’s Miracles

[11:22]

God is amazing. If you think about God ordering Moses to talk to the Pharaoh, Moses doubted himself in his words. But God immediately said that He was the one who made Moses’s mouth. Any shortcomings will be dealt with as long as God is with you.

[13:08]

Nyla’s pastor recently preached about the Green Light at the Red Sea, which is about the children of Israel getting across the Red Sea. The story encompasses the wonders of God and how He can create miracles.

Our Inner Guidance

[18:38]

The inner guidance system or the Holy Spirit that people call their instinct is real. It is the thing that tells us where to go and what to choose. The inner guidance system is the thing that helps us to live our best life. Many times, it will tell you something that logically doesn’t make sense. But when you listen to it, you will be glad that you did.

Bringing Characters to Life

[22:16]

Nyla often teaches that characters only have breath and body. Allowing characters to inhabit us is the only way for them to live. Characters live on the page until we breathe them in. It is our job to figure out the difference between you and a character, but also the similarities between you and a character so that you know what mannerisms to give them and when to move out of the way.

Embracing your Difference

[38:44]

Black women are easily identified with their hair so much. There is a level of fearlessness that Nyla has in some respects. But she is fighting for her fearlessness and freedom. After cutting her hair, Nyla knew she would be fine because her parents, too, would cut their hair. She wasn’t afraid if she would look ugly when he got her hair cut. She just knows that she is different and that she is learning to accept that everything about her is going to be different. And by embracing her difference, she knows that success will come for her.

Just Do You and Be the Best Version of You

[41:32]

Don’t be better. Be different and completely off. This notion became Nyla’s calling in the industry. She always said to herself that she was just going to do it but in a different and unique way. Her point is to not be better than the last person but to be talked about by the people after her.

[46:21]

Nyla is the only one in her family who is not included. But she is the one in the family that became an artist full time. She was able to pave the way for creativity in her family. Her cousin became a glassmaker because of Nyla’s passion.

Learn more about Nyla Watson at:

Website: http://www.queennyla.com/

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/queennyla1

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