Referred to as “a remarkable young woman who embodies the power of the arts to enrich and transform lives.” (Lindsay Bierman, former chancellor of The University of North Carolina School of the Arts), Nia Imani Franklin has had her music performed by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (spring 2021), Friction Quartet, Jonathan Levin, and many others.

As a Kenan Fellow at Lincoln Center Education in New York, Nia gained additional knowledge and experience as an educator and performer. After concluding her fellowship, she earned the job of Miss New York 2018 and Miss America 2019. At a post-crowning press conference, five-time Grammy-nominated recording artist, Carnie Wilson, said “The minute Nia opened her mouth, I was like, ‘That’s Miss America 2019.’ I just had this feeling. I think she represents the organization beautifully: She’s poised, she’s intelligent, she’s relatable...I think she’s a fantastic human being.” (Yahoo!)

Nia holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Composition and Theory from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, as well as a master’s degree from The University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. In 2019, she founded Compose Her - an initiative that seeks to empower women in music.