Frequencies of Freedom: Why Neila’s New LP, ‘Aura,’ Is the Sound-Healing Anthem We Need
- Jordyn Mayes
- Nov 3
- 4 min read
Neila’s new LP, Aura (out now), isn’t just music, it’s therapy. We dive into the singer’s journey from South Florida's 'Euphoria' culture to creating sound-healing anthems that give you permission to be authentically yourself.
In a world saturated with noise, very few artists choose to be a signal. Meet Neila. With hair the shade of extraterrestrial kryptonite, a wicked Bajan-Jamaican wit, and a philosophy that blends the eclectic brilliance of Pharrell with the spiritual depth of a seasoned healer, she is the green-tinged, diamond-sharp force shaking up the music industry.
Neila isn't just making music; she's crafting sonic therapy, a vibe she affectionately calls “cunty empowerment music.” Her latest project, the anticipated LP, ‘Aura,’ is a testament to this mission. Released on October 28th, Aura is an LP in everything but name, a carefully constructed soundscape where pop and R&B meet ancient healing arts.
“I’m not doing a full album until I’m signed, when I have the right backing,” she declares early in our conversation, her voice a blend of relaxed confidence and steely intent. But don’t let the label fool you: Aura is a massive undertaking. Neila spent over a year studying sound healing, ensuring that every track, including her viral hit single “Mac and Cheese,” is subtly infused with therapeutic frequencies, tuning forks, and singing bowls.
“I really wanted there to be healing elements in the songs,” she explains. “It took me some time to learn how to incorporate it into each song where it didn’t clash, because it can do the opposite of healing if it’s not the right frequencies. It can feel a little crazy.”
A Green Alien in a Hollister World
Neila’s journey to unapologetic authenticity wasn't a straight line. Born to Jamaican and Barbadian immigrant parents, she grew up in the affluent, predominantly white suburbs of South Florida. She describes it as an environment of assimilation, where even wearing Nike Dunks could be policed. She paints a vivid picture of her teenage years: a high-speed, high-stakes existence she wryly calls, “Euphoria, but like, everyone has money.”
Her artistic identity, the “green alien”, was a direct rebellion against that environment.
“I just did some studying. I have a knack for branding,” she says, referencing style icons like Kelis (a comparison she receives often) and her academic background in music business and communication arts. “Being able to put together what I dreamt myself looking like without having any boundaries or feeling like I had to assimilate… definitely green hair, a little green alien. That’s kind of a thing.”
Moving to Atlanta provided the freedom she needed to fully embody her aesthetic and spiritual self. This liberation is the backbone of her music, which is explicitly made for “the girls, the gays, for sure,” and anyone who has ever felt like the underdog.
The Divine Download
Neila is not a typical musician. She doesn’t chase a sound; she waits for it. Her creative process is often solitary, beginning with what she calls a “download.”
“I get smacked in the face with songs, like, randomly,” she explains. “I'll get a full hook and verse, voice record it, and send it to one of my producers.”
She then brings in a small, tight-knit team, including collaborators like Ayanna and Spree, to help construct the sound around the divine spark. It's a testament to her lack of ego that she is so willing to refine her vision, a quality she stresses is essential for any independent artist: “If something can be better, my goal is to just always make whatever needs to be better, better.”
This authenticity is what makes her music resonate, even when the inspiration is purely spontaneous. Take her surging single, “Mac and Cheese.” It was a playful, spicy freestyle, a “palette cleanser”, that was never intended for release. It has since become her most popular song, showcasing her ability to weave a high-energy, fun vibe with a touch of double-entendre. Neila wants her listeners to feel “good, sexy, fun, and to feel like they want to shake their a**.”
The Mount Rushmore of Cool
To understand Neila’s sound, you have to look at her influences, and they are gloriously unexpected. Her musical Mount Rushmore includes: Queen, Pharrell, Tyler, the Creator, and Janet Jackson.
Pharrell, in particular, inspires her eclectic approach: “I love the unlimited and unboxed creativity that he has displayed throughout his entire career. I think that’s so important as creatives to not box ourselves in.”
Aura is an evolution of this genre-bending spirit, acting as a "sister" project to her favorite earlier EP, Bite Me, B*tch. She describes the sound as very much in the spirit of Pharrell and even, surprisingly, Ludacris, heavy bass you can feel in your chest, layered with ethereal soundscapes.
A Legacy of Elevated Frequencies
As an independent artist, Neila has achieved milestones that many signed artists only dream of. She’s met and played music for Kendrick Lamar, starred in an international Sprite commercial, and, most recently, heard her song pop up on a Netflix show, North from North, a goal she had whiteboarded for years.
Now, with Aura on the horizon (preceded by the fierce new July single, “Wild,” an anthem of bodily autonomy), Neila’s vision for success goes beyond charts and festivals (though she’s aiming for all of them).
She defines success as "stability, freedom, surplus, and abundant wish fulfillment," but most importantly, "an overflowing cup so that I’m able to give people my overflow."
Ultimately, her why is tied to the very frequencies she weaves into her art. “Whatever you listen to and whatever you intake either lowers or raises your frequency,” she states. Her ultimate goal is to use her music as a megaphone to “raise the frequency of millions of people.”
In a final message of healing and hope, she emphasizes the lesson learned from tragedy and the grueling industry grind: there is always a better day. "Today might not be great, but just give yourself some more time, giving yourself more grace."
Neila is grounded by spirituality, supported by her family, and constantly evolving. She is a reminder that the most revolutionary thing an artist can be is fully, authentically, and spiritually present. And with her project Aura, she’s not just asking you to listen, she’s inviting you to heal.
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