Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Nakia, a Top 8 finisher on Season 1 of The Voice, has completed an album he started before the show.

Prior to auditioning for Season 1 of The Voice in the spring of 2011, Nakia was part of a band called the Blues Grifters.

The band developed a following in the Austin area. And Nakia credits a video of the band performing live for his invite to participate on The Voice.

But that participation also meant putting on hold the album the Blues Grifters had started to record.

Earlier this month, “Blues Grifter” — featuring 11 tracks and covers of songs by blues and soul greats — finally landed.

The inspiration to finish the project came when ALL ATX — an advocacy group for music in the Austin area — invited Nakia to participate in a compilation album.

The result was a cover of the Allman Brothers Band’s “Whipping Post.”

“I started the band (Blues Grifters) as a way for me to cut loose and get lost in the blues,” Nakia says on a Pledge Music page that helped fund the project. “So I wanted this album to be a homage to the great blues artists who inspired me.

“But ‘The Voice’ happened and I couldn’t reach the finish line on the record. Once (longtime collaborator) Mac (McNabb) and I got back together and listened to the tapes, we committed to finish the album.

“We cut these songs using old ribbon mics, analog gear and tape machines. Many of the songs recorded live, all in the room together. Real live blues — the way it was meant to be.”

You can check out Nakia’s upcoming shows on his Facebook page and website. Physical copies of the new album are also available through that website.

Here’s the official music video for “Whipping Post” from “Blues Grifters.”