5 Minutes With Nadia Batson

After blending with all my Caribbean people throughout the night at Soca or Die 9, I was lookin to watch up with my favorite Caribbean Girl Nadia Batson.  I caught up with her backstage jes maxin n' relaxin to de sweet Toronto vibes and there was no better time to do a 5 minutes with meh girl yes! She was in de best mood ever, smiles from ear to ear so that was definitely ah plus! We grabbed ah couch and an adult beverage n with no stickin' Mizz Kayz and Nadia B went to work!

TJJ: You're always re-inventing yourself.  How do you manage keep looking so fresh and fashionable?
Nadia Batson: I'll be having a stylist for 2009, but right now I do my own thing. I just keep current with the styles.

TJJ: Tell us a little about your store, do you have any more?
Nadia Batson: I opened a new store in December called "Fashion Over Styles" in Trincity Mall. At that store I'm trying to introduce my new brand called "Thickalicious" which is for full-figured ladies. I'll have a Thickalicious store eventually, but I'm trying to see if I can introduce the brand in "Fashion Over Styles". I have one other store by the same name in San Fernando, but the big one is in Trincity Mall.

TJJ: What do you think is the secret to a good wine?
Nadia Batson: Hmmm ... in order to have a good wine, you have to have good water! End of story!!

TJJ: What's in your purse right now?
Nadia Batson: TRASH! Haha! Girl meh bag is very heavy. I does have everything in there ... make-up, money, my cheque books, my flight stuff, my important documents, keys, jewelry ... everything! Everyone does always be like why is your purse so heavy??
TJJ: Well at least yuh ALWAYS prepared :-)

TJJ: Who is one artist you would love to collaborate with?
Nadia Batson: Oh my gosh ... why one?
TJJ: Ok fine.. two?? LOL
Nadia Batson: Well I love Alanis Morissette, she's one of my favourite artists. I love, love her ... I love the Bee Gees as well. Ammm, there are so many Soca artists that I would love to collaborate with but I think Alanis would probably be my number one draft pick!

TJJ: Are you a stilettos type of lady or flip flops?
Nadia Batson: It depends on my mood because I loooooove stilettos. I have heels like rain! But yuh know, like tonight where I'm just having so much fun and jumping up and getting on like a little groupie on the stage.. flip flops work great!

TJJ: Is there anyone you would like to meet dead or alive? Someone that inspires or has inspired you?
Nadia Batson: Hmm... that's a good one! I'll have to say Alanis again. I really, really like that woman. She's such a good lyricist and she inspired me so much at a point in time in my life when I really needed it. I would definitely have to say her and that's for her great writing skills and that kind of thing. There are so many people ... yuh being mean!
TJJ: Small ting.. next rounds yuh will give us 5!

TJJ: Besides music, is there anything else you're passionate about?
Nadia Batson: I'm a businesswoman.  I've always liked any form of entrepreneurship. I guess if I wasn't involved in music I would do what I do.  I manage my own company right now, I actually have more than one. I have a booking agency, as well as, the clothing/shoe store ... so that's what I'd be doing if I wasn't singing full time.

TJJ: For de fellas out there who want to know, are you single or taken.. cyah say? Haha!
Nadia Batson: *blushes* Nah girl.. Ah taken, ah rehl taken! I'm in a good relationship. I don't have any problems ah'tall. My boyfriend respects me and what I do and he gives both me and my fans that space.  Alot of times you're in this position and people don't want you speaking to anyone and they're over protective etc. But he's not like that, he's actually a really, really, really nice guy! Girl, i'm happy! :-)
TJJ: I'm glad to hear that... you deserve nothing less!
Nadia Batson: Do you see where I am? I wasn't planning to perform at Soca or Die and I'm in Toronto! Thank you... yuh know what I mean? I'm a happy camper!

TJJ: Is there any song in particular that hits home for you? That touches your heart?
Nadia Batson: "Caribbean Girl" ... I really like that one! "One Island" holds a very special place in my heart because it was probably the first song that people started taking notice of me as a performer. That was really important for me! Oh gosh girl, all of them for a particular reason. Ah mean, "My Land" has a rehl special place in my heart as well.
TJJ: So, each song has some significance to you...
Nadia Batson: Yeah, so it's kind of hard to say which ONE is de most special. I can call a few that are closer to me ... "Caribbean Girl", "One Island", "My Land" and "Love of My Life (Meri Zindagi)".

TJJ: What inspired you to write "Love of My Life (Meri Zindagi)"? Because I'm in love with that song.. it makes my pores raise every time I hear it!
Nadia Batson: Serious? Well yuh know.. Trinidad being multi-cultural and multi-racial, my career actually started singing Muslim ballads. I used to sing in Arabic for a long time, I started off singing Kasida's. It's always been something I wanted to tap into and I am going to do it again. "Meri Zindagi" is such a beautiful song and my team around me was like why do I want to release this in the middle of Carnival, it's not going to play etc. I just wanted to share this song with everyone and I didn't care if it played or not. I did it, and I'm really happy that I did it and I'm actually going to perform that song at the 2008 COTT Awards. That's gonna be something else.. I really love that song!

TJJ: Do you have any hidden talents your fans don't know about?
Nadia Batson: C-O-O-K! Girl, I could throw down! Listen to me and listen to me well ... once it have everything I need in the kitchen I can cook!
TJJ: So all yuh need is the RIGHT ingredients?
Nadia Batson: Yeessss!

Mizz Kayz taking Nadia Batson to de grocery and then heading home for some besssss food! We on like boil corn!