Imagine being stuck on a train to nowhere and the conductor never hits the brakes because they’re asleep at the wheel.
That eerie ride is what soul-rock singer Nitro Nitra, a Middletown resident originally from Wilmington, experienced for nearly 20 years.
Nitra took the momentum of that nightmare,and used it to fuel her dream of when she performed her redemptive song “Train” in her NBC’s “American Song Contest” debut Monday night before a live audience.
Show co-host Snoop Dogg had a one-track mind when he introduced the soul-rocker, who needs Delaware supporters to vote for her to stay on the show and move forward in fulfilling her dreams of a musical career. (See below for more info.)
“Let’s continue with a state known for locomotives. But this artist might be the one who’s going places. Competing from Delaware, meet Nitro Nitra,” the rapper said.
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Nitra, who posted a photo of herself with Snoop on her Instagram page (@NitroNitra), hit the stage wearing a black body suit with pointed shoulders. The cosmic outfit was bedazzled in gems and accessorized with platform boots with red laces and matching red gloves.
The live audience cheered throughout her “Train” performance, including when she sang the chorus:
Nitro Nitra’s supporters were going crazy on Instagram.
“Way to represent Delaware girl! I’m so proud to have you represent our state, you got all my votes,” a proud supporter commented.
“Amazing as always, beautiful lady!!!” another supporter said.
“Yoooooooo!!! You killed it tonight!!!!!” a hyped fan commented.
“QUEEN GODESS,” praised one person.
Spitting Delaware facts
Before Nitra’s performance, a pre-recorded segment of the episode aired that had been shot at House of Laffs in Wilmington featured her singing.
She also dropped some facts in the segment about the First State that the show’s national audience might not know about.
“Delaware was the first state to ratify the constitution. We started the whole thing,” the soul-rocker explained.
“Growing up, when I would say ‘Delaware,’ people would be like ‘Delawhere?’ she added. “Delaware is the home of tax-free shopping. If something is $5, guess what? It’s $5. If something is $20, how much do you think it is?”
Touched by an angel?
Nitra is a big believer in the supernatural or what she refers to as “the universe.”
For example, before competing on the show she told Delaware Online / The News Journal that her motivation to get off a depressive loop of drug addiction and substance abuse was inspired by a dream she had in 2018.
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At the end of that year, Nitra spiraled into a low place and was back to being homeless, something she experienced multiple times over the years.
“I had, again, lost everything,” she said.
So she moved back to Delaware. But things changed one night after she drifted off to sleep.
“I had a dream of this being. She looked like an angel standing on a clock tower. She’s on the clock tower and she’s looking at me, and she’s nudging me and communicating with me, but not through speech,” Nitra explained.
“But I knew she was saying that ‘It’s time,’ hence the clock tower. So, ‘It’s time for you to work on yourself. Time for you to get off of the loop, get off of this cycle. You’ve collected enough data, and it’s time for you to now live the life of your dream.’ ”
She took the mystical creature’s advice to heart and mustered the courage to pump the brakes and get off the emotional train ride to hell she’d been stuck on, she recalled.
Nitra shifted her focus back to being a kid when she’d sung all the time.
Today, Nitra said, she’s been sober for a few years.
The soul-rocker also had a supernatural or serendipitous moment on “American Song Book” during her pre-recorded segment when she randomly pointed out: “There’s literally a train going off in the background, right now.”
How to vote for Nitro Nitra
“American Song Contest” is an eight-week competition (now in its third week) that highlights original music. It features 56 vocalists, one per U.S. state and territory.
The show, inspired by the popular “Eurovision Song Contest,” is different from most singing-competition shows since it features a mix of up-and-coming singers and famous music artists such as Jewel (Alaska), who also debuted Monday.
A combination of judges and fans can vote for their favorite artist.
The show airs Mondays and votes from that week’s episode can be made until 7 a.m. Wednesday.
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According to NBC.com, there are three ways to vote online: the NBC App, asc.vote.nbc.com and on TikTok.
The first two ways are more obvious than the TikTok option. Per NBC.com, people can vote on TikTok by following the steps below:
1. Open your TikTok app.
2. Tap “Discover” and in the search bar type “americansongcontest”
3. You’ll see a banner at the top of the screen with the option to click on, “Vote for the Best Original Song!” Click that.
4. You’ll arrive at a page where you can vote. Voting doesn’t start until the performances begin live on Monday nights, and ends the following Wednesday.
Nitra said on Monday’s episode that making it onto the show means she’s already successful.
“Once you win within, it doesn’t even matter, because you’ve already won,” the singer said, before the competitive nature in her came out. “But yes, I want to bring home the trophy.”
“American Song Contest” airs on NBC at 8 p.m., Mondays. For more info, visit nbc.com.
