Meet Nayelly Rodriguez Baez | Singer-songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nayelly Rodriguez Baez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nayelly, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
Making music has taught me many things, but one of the most important is how creating is a service for others. The day I knew I was going to pursue music, I was in a contest. I was shaking coming down from a stage where I had given everything to a performance of All I Ask by Adele. I joined as a way to challenge my shyness and combat the strangeness I still felt after moving to a new place for the first time in my life. The adrenaline, the support of my loved ones and strangers, and the realization that being in front of hundreds of people was not harmful but somehow enjoyable gave me confidence. Music was serving me as a way to become someone I never thought I could be. Yet, after a while, I started doubting. I liked the changes and introspective growth, but once I started considering creating as a career, I wondered what my role in society could be and if it was necessary. It was not until I joined creative communities I witnessed what was in front of me all this time. The impact my creations and efforts could have on people. I still remember the first time my performance made someone cry or the heartfelt conversations I had with strangers after a performance. I love how music can be yours as you create it, but once it’s out, it is someone else’s. Someone’s wedding song, the inside joke between friends that will always remind them of a specific moment in their lives, the way to bring back to life someone who is not with them anymore, the song that made a shy girl realize her role in the world.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a Dominican Pop-Soul singer-songwriter and performer, who recently graduated from Berklee College of Music. My music blends Jazz, Folk, R&B, and Latin influences to tell stories in English and Spanish, using melodies as a gateway for connection. My purpose is to serve the processes of creating the music that will accompany people in their lives. Whether it is music from my repertoire or collaboration projects that I am happy to be part of (either as a background musician or producer) or adopting roles in event production or performance, I find joy in serving my community through music.
I came to the United States when I was fifteen years old. It was hard to adapt; I spent a lot of time learning a new culture while pushing the limits of my shy demeanor. I took change one day at a time and found solace and a family in music.
From my experiences, I am excited to share stories that explore the concept of otherness and how similar we can be if we dare to look, topics like love, rage, and sadness; and fun and mindless situations, too. Join the conversation about how weirdly awesome it can be to be alive.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh, how I love traveling and showing people around. I have a list of places I could recommend depending on what place I have lived or visited multiple times, but here is a shortened version of the list I had for my mother the first time she came to Boston:
– MFA, ICA and the Harvard museum are a must
-Tall Ship (since I cannot be too far from the ocean for too long, plus is a great place to spend time outside)
– The Commons (especially during the spring)
– Bangkok Bento Thai Kitchen & Sushi Bar
– The Library in Copley Square
– Citizens Opera House
– Boston Symphony Hall

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First of all, my family, especially my mother. She is the reason I am the person I am proud of being today. Also, my mentors and friends at two institutions that allowed me to make my life an absolute dream: Movement City (a non-profit organization with the purpose of inspiring and guiding youth in academic and creative paths) and my beloved Berklee community. I am eternally grateful for all their support and encouragement. And I could not forget my music and One Goal teachers, they were essential supporters in my growth as an artist and the person I am today.

Website: https://www.nayellymusic.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nayelly.mp3/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nayelly-rodriguez-56b8492a2/

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@nayelly.mp3?si=qLUvESFY4O03KZxE