Though she’s relatively new on the scene, this weekend with be Nyla Nasir’s third time appearing at the Roots Picnic. In 2022, she gave a pop-up performance during a set by Macc N Cheese, the high-octane hip-hop duo led by her late brother Devin Spadey; she had her own early afternoon slot on the bill in 2023 as well. But this time, with two genre-bending projects released in the past year and a full album on the way, she’s prepared to make a much bigger Roots Picnic splashdown.
Nasir performs under the name N3WYRKLA — pronounced “New York, L.A.,” and a play on her first name, Nyla, with the number 3 representing the three N’s of her full name (Nyla Naylin Nasir). Her music is rooted in hip-hop and R&B as much as it’s rooted in alternative rock and pop; she’s a kindred spirit of Willow in that sense, with big Paramore-level riffs sitting alongside cool raps and emotive melodies.
In this performance at WXPN for The Key Studio Sessions, N3WYRKLA and her band — Eoin Murphy on guitar, Josh Shaw (aka Blvck Hippie) on bass, Jon Franklin on drums, and Evan Rainey on synth — play three tracks from the new EP It’s Not You, It’s Me, while Nasir chats with Abdur Rahmn about her journey, crafting vulnerable music, being surrounded by supportive family, and more.
Watch below, and see N3WYRKLA play live at the 2024 Roots Picnic, June 1st and 2nd at The Mann Center in Fairmount Park. Tickets and information can be found at the Roots Picnic website.