Nakia, known for his larger-than-life, soulful vocal performances and ability to connect with an audience, is a true Austin success story. Since his arrival at “The Live Music Capital of the World” in 2002, he has quickly formed alliances with Austin's best musicians.

Nakia rose to national prominence when a Los Angeles casting agent discovered a performance of him and his band, the “Blues Grifters,” on YouTube. The viral video was shown to producer Mark Burnett, who after seeing Nakia’s searing performance of the Blues classic, "Double Trouble," demanded that the performer audition for his new show, NBC’s The Voice.

Nakia’s bluesy rendition of “Forget You” earned him a spot on Cee-Lo Green’s team and quickly catapulted him into becoming a fan favorite. His show-stopping performances immediately earned him a spot as one of eight, top finalists for the show, and won him support from several superstars, including William Shatner, Adam Lambert, and Elton John. Nakia, along with his fellow Top Eight finalists from the show, recently toured across the country with The Voice Tour including a sold-out show at New York's Beacon Theatre. Nakia is currently writing material for his upcoming album that he will be showcasing at the 2012 SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TX.