La Niña (singer)

"Cyen" redirects here. For other uses, see CYEN.
La Niña
La Niña in June 2025
Background information
Also known asCyen
Born
Carola Moccia

(1991-07-10) 10 July 1991
Naples, Italy
OriginSan Giorgio a Cremano, Naples, Italy
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • instrumentalist
  • actress
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • percussions
Years active2012–present
Labels
PublisherSugar Music (2021–present)
Formerly of
  • Fitness Forever (2014)
  • Yombe (2015–2018)
Partner
Alfredo Maddaluno (2014–present)
Awards

Carola Moccia (born 10 July 1991), known professionally as La Niña, is an Italian singer-songwriter and actress.

Early life and education

Carola Moccia was born in Naples and grew up in nearby San Giorgio a Cremano. She took up a passion for music from her musician father and her artist mother, learning to play the guitar and starting to compose at a young age.[1][2][3]

She attended liceo scientifico and later graduated in philosophy and history from the University of Naples Federico II. After moving to Milan to focus on her music, she received a postgraduate degree in musical communication from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore.[1][3]

Career

Early career

During her high school and undergraduate university years in Naples, Moccia began collaborating with performers including Jovine of 99 Posse and Roberto Angelini, thanks to whom she performed twice on the TV show Gazebo.[3]

In 2014, in Naples, she participated in the project Fitness Forever as a guitarist and vocalist, meeting musician and producer Alfredo Maddaluno (stage name KWSK Ninja),[4][5] with whom she would start both a professional and personal relationship.[4][6]

2015–2018: Yombe

In 2015, in Milan, Moccia (using the stage name Cyen) and Maddaluno formed the duo Yombe, briefly residing in London before moving back to Italy.[4][6][7][8] The couple shared a flat with Colapesce, a friend and collaborator of Maddaluno, in the Milanese neighborhood of Lambrate.[8][9] Yombe – whose name was inspired by a Yombe maternity figure displayed at a Mudec exhibition[4][8][9] – debuted with "Vulkaan", the lead single from an eponymous 2016 EP.[9][10] After touring Italy and international festivals, and publishing a second single, they signed a contract with Carosello Records.[11] Other singles followed in 2017,[12][13] which were then included in the album Goood.[14] They performed as opening act in concerts by Ghemon and Little Dragon.[8][11][15] At the end of their contract with Carosello in 2018, Yombe disbanded to experiment new music.[1]

2019–2022: Solo debut

Upon the end of their duo project, Moccia and Maddaluno moved back to Naples, where they shifted from English-language music to songwriting in Neapolitan.[16] She signed with La Tempesta Dischi, and made her solo debut as La Niña in June 2019 with the single "Croce", followed in September by "Niente cchiù" and in December by "Salomè", all three co-written and produced by Maddaluno as KWSK Ninja.[16][17][18][19] In the same period, she made an appearance in the official video for a new version of "Le ragazze di Porta Venezia" by Myss Keta.[16][20]

Moccia moved to the Sony Music Italy label in 2020[21] and signed a publishing contract with Sugar Music in 2021.[22] Early that year, she released the single "'Na cosa sola"[23] and the EP Eden,[24][25] followed by the duets "Lassame sta'" and "Tu", with Gemitaiz and Franco Ricciardi, respectively.[26][27] In October 2021, she took part with Ginevra and Priestess in the Anemone Film and Amazon Music short film La notte delle lumere.[28][29] In 2022, Moccia collaborated with other artists, including Clementino, Ensi,[30] Peppe Barra,[31] Myss Keta and BigMama,[32] and later with Tosca. She was featured on the Rai 2 show Bar Stella.[1]

2023–2024: Television debut

In February 2023, La Niña released "Blu" – featuring British singer Mysie[33][34] – as the lead single from her debut album Vanitas, shortly followed by "Harakiri". The album, once again produced by KWSK Ninja, was met with critical acclaim.[35][36]

The same year, she made her first appearance as an actress in the Canale 5 televised series La voce che hai dentro, created by and starring Massimo Ranieri.[37] She was also the main composer behind the series' soundtrack.[38][39]

Following the start of a new contract with BMG Italy in early 2024,[40] La Niña was a guest on the cover night of the 74th Sanremo Music Festival, performing "Lady Marmalade" alongside Gaia and Sissi in duet with main contestant BigMama.[41][42]

2025–present: Furèsta

In January 2025, La Niña released "Guapparìa", the lead single from her upcoming second album Furèsta, centered on Neapolitan organized crime (historical guapparia and the modern Camorra).[43][44] The album release was preceded by other singles, namely "Mammama'"[45] and "Figlia d' 'a tempesta". Like the previous album, Furèsta was also well received by critics and public alike.[46] Almost entirely written and produced by Moccia and Maddaluno, the album features Matteo Parisi as the co-author of some of the tracks and the participation of Arab artists Kukii and Abdullah Miniawy on two of them.[47] The composition drew inspiration from Baroque and Mediterranean music (particularly tammurriata), marking a change from the electronic style of La Niña's older works.[1][48] In July 2025, she was awarded the prestigious Targa Tenco (for best album in a regional language)[22][49] and Premio Lunezia Elite.[50] The following October, Moccia embarked on a European tour to promote the album.[51]

Musical influences

Rolling Stone Italia described La Niña as "a hybrid between Teresa De Sio and Rosalía".[1][22] The singer herself has cited influences from FKA Twigs, Doja Cat, Roberto Murolo, Gilda Mignonette,[2] Pino Daniele, Almamegretta, M.I.A., Lafawndah, Sevdaliza,[25] Carmen Consoli and Caroline Polachek.[2][52]

Personal life

Moccia has been in a relationship with her collaborator Alfredo Maddaluno since 2014. As of 2024, the couple lives in Naples.[53]

Discography

As a solo artist

Albums

  • Vanitas – 2023
  • Furèsta – 2025

EPs

  • Eden – 2021

Singles

  • "Croce" – 2019
  • "Niente cchiù" – 2019
  • "Salomè" – 2019
  • "Fortuna" – 2020
  • "'Na cosa sola" – 2021
  • "Lassame sta'" (feat. Gemitaiz) – 2021
  • "Tu" (with Franco Ricciardi) – 2021
  • "Nunn 'o voglio sape'" – 2022
  • "Blu" (feat. Mysie) – 2023
  • "Harakiri" – 2023
  • "Guapparìa" – 2025
  • "Mammama'" – 2025
  • "Figlia d' 'a tempesta" – 2025

As part of Yombe

Albums

  • Goood – 2017

EPs

  • Yombe – 2016

Singles

  • "Vulkaan" – 2015
  • "Tonight" – 2017
  • "Nothing New to Me" – 2017
  • "My Veins are Roads" – 2018

Filmography

Films

Year Title Role Notes
2021 La notte delle lumere Herself Musical short film

Television

Year(s) Channel Title Role Notes
2023 Canale 5 La voce che hai dentro Regina Drama series
2021–2022 Rai 2 Bar Stella Herself Variety show

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Lamorte, Antonio (27 March 2025). "Chi è La Niña del Sud: la cantante napoletana Carola Moccia, il disco FURÈSTA tra recupero della tradizione folk e pop". L'Unità (in Italian). Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  2. ^ a b c Coen, Emanuele (19 April 2023). "La Niña: «Oggi tutti vorrebbero essere figli di Napoli. Spero non sia solo una moda»". L'Espresso (in Italian). Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "La Niña: età, carriera, fidanzato e canzoni: chi è la cantante ospite a Sanremo che si esibirà con Big Mama, insieme a Sissi e Gaia – Le origini". Il Messaggero (in Italian). 9 February 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d Biazzetti, Claudio (19 November 2016). "Yombe, un amore nato suonando". Rolling Stone Italia (in Italian).
  5. ^ Valentino, Gianni (23 April 2014). "Fitness Forever: 'La nostra musica di idee imprevedibili'". la Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  6. ^ a b "KWSK NINJA". Sugar Music. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  7. ^ "SOPRA LE RIGHE, La Niña". Canale di Venti (in Italian). 4 March 2020. Event occurs at 2:57. Retrieved 15 September 2023 – via YouTube.
  8. ^ a b c d "Yombe: anima partenopea, gusto nordeuropeo – L'intervista". Billboard Italia (in Italian). 19 January 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  9. ^ a b c Di Fiore, Margherita G. (7 April 2016). "Foto profilo: Yombe". Rockit (in Italian). Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  10. ^ "Biografia Yombe". Rockit (in Italian). 7 April 2016.
  11. ^ a b "Yombe". Carosello Records (in Italian).
  12. ^ "Anteprima: Tonight è il nuovo video degli Yombe". Wired (in Italian). 17 July 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  13. ^ "Yombe: ecco il nuovo singolo 'Nothing New to Me'". Billboard Italia (in Italian). 25 October 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  14. ^ "Yombe presenta 'GOOOD': 'Parliamo a tutti con un Pop che guarda oltre i confini'". Fanpage.it (in Italian). 28 December 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2023 – via YouTube.
  15. ^ Di Fiore, Margherita G. (13 October 2017). "Ascolta 'Nothing New To Me', il nuovo singolo degli Yombe, e scopri tutti i dettagli sul nuovo album". Rockit (in Italian). Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  16. ^ a b c Zucca, Anna Carla (17 February 2020). "La Niña è la voce della Napoli contemporanea che ci libera da Liberato?". Marie Claire (in Italian). Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  17. ^ "La Niña porta la sua 'Croce' da sola". Rolling Stone Italia (in Italian). 27 June 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  18. ^ Zianna, Riccardo (24 September 2019). "'Niente cchiù' è il nuovo singolo de LA NIÑA". honiro.it (in Italian). Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  19. ^ Raiola, Francesco (18 December 2019). "La Niña rilegge in chiave moderna Salomè e dà respiro alla Napoli che unisce urban e tradizione". Fanpage.it (in Italian). Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  20. ^ Uzzo, Cecilia (18 October 2019). "Tornano «Le ragazze di Porta Venezia - TheManifesto» di M¥SS KETA con 'cast' aggiornato". GQ Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  21. ^ "LA NIÑA esce oggi nei digital stores con 'FORTUNA'". Sony Music Italy (in Italian). 16 October 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  22. ^ a b c "La Niña". Sugar Music. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  23. ^ Talon, Kettj (12 February 2021). "LA NIÑA presenta il nuovo singolo 'Na Cosa Sola'". nss G-Club (in Italian). Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  24. ^ Barro, Mattia (12 February 2021). "LA NIÑA esprime tutta la forza di Napoli". Rolling Stone Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  25. ^ a b Vacalebre, Federico (14 February 2021). "La Niña: «Il mio canto napoletano è tradizione ma futurista»". Il Mattino (in Italian). Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  26. ^ Botturi, Fabio (26 April 2021). "'Lassame sta' LA NIÑA feat. Gemitaiz". DietroLaNotizia.eu (in Italian). Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  27. ^ "La Niña con Franco Ricciardi sceglie di dare del Tu al futuro". Sky TG24 (in Italian). 16 July 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  28. ^ "La Notte delle Lumere - Special with LA NIÑA, GINEVRA and Priestess". Anemone Film (in Italian). 28 October 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2023 – via YouTube.
  29. ^ "La Notte delle Lumere - Special with LA NIÑA, GINEVRA and Priestess". Anemone Film (in Italian). 28 October 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  30. ^ Muraro, Alberto (28 April 2022). "Clementino: annunciata la tracklist di Black Pulcinella. Ecco tutti gli ospiti". All Music Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  31. ^ Marsico, Arianna (25 May 2022). "Peppe Barra, Cipria e caffè". Mescalina (in Italian). Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  32. ^ "Tutti invitati al 'Club Topperia', il nuovo mondo di Myss Keta". All Music Italia (in Italian). 27 May 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  33. ^ Mele, Federica (3 March 2023). "BLU, il nuovo singolo di La NIÑA e MYSIE". L'Officiel Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  34. ^ Gattone, Fabio (26 February 2023). "La Niña: il nuovo singolo 'Blu' è un canto d'amore delicato". All Music Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  35. ^ "LA NIÑA 'Harakiri' è il nuovo singolo che anticipa 'VANITAS', il nuovo album". Newsic (in Italian). 15 March 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  36. ^ De Luca, Flaviano (5 July 2023). "Nelle strofe de La Niña l'energia di Napoli e la caducità della vita". il manifesto (in Italian). Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  37. ^ Gianatti, Silvia (14 September 2023). "La Niña parla del suo esordio da attrice al fianco di Massimo Ranieri: «È una sfida con me stessa»". Cosmopolitan Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  38. ^ Ungari, Elsa (14 September 2023). "Massimo Ranieri e La Niña, promessa del pop napoletano, nella fiction 'La voce che hai dentro'". iO Donna (in Italian). Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  39. ^ Rossini, Matteo (14 September 2023). "La voce che hai dentro, tutto quello che c'è da sapere sulla serie TV con Massimo Ranieri". Sky TG24 (in Italian). Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  40. ^ "In attesa di essere ospite al Festival di Sanremo nella serata delle cover LA NIÑA entra nel Roster di BMG". All Music Italia (in Italian). 2 February 2024. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  41. ^ "Sanremo 2024, chi è La Niña, la cantante napoletana che duetta con BigMama". Sky TG24 (in Italian). 9 February 2024. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  42. ^ Faccani, Francesca (9 February 2024). "BigMama porta sul palco di Sanremo Gaia, La Niña e Sissi, che ci raccontano che cosa vuol dire per loro diventare sorelle nella musica". Vogue Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  43. ^ Aymone, Carmine (16 January 2025). "«Guapparìa», il nuovo singolo de La Niña". Corriere del Mezzogiorno (in Italian). Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  44. ^ Ferraro, Lorenza (15 January 2025). "LA NIÑA celebra i funerali di una città splendida ma trasfigurata nel nuovo singolo GUAPPARÌA". All Music Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  45. ^ Aymone, Carmine (19 January 2025). "La Niña pubblica «Mammamà live session»". Corriere del Mezzogiorno (in Italian). Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  46. ^ De Stefano, Giovanni (21 March 2025). "La Niña è misticismo e ribellione". Rolling Stone Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 26 March 2025.
  47. ^ Valori, Samuele (21 March 2025). "LA NIÑA e il coraggio di uscire da sé per ritrovare il contatto col mondo". Billboard Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 26 March 2025.
  48. ^ Ruviglioni, Patrizio (21 March 2025). "La Niña: «Napoli va accettata per com'è, è tornato un certo razzismo verso i napoletani ultimamente. Io canto in dialetto, la mia parte selvaggia»". Vanity Fair Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 26 March 2025.
  49. ^ "LA NIÑA, l'artista napoletana vince la targa Tenco per il 'Miglior album in dialetto'". grandenapoli.it (in Italian). 9 July 2025. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  50. ^ Bertolino, Patty (20 July 2025). "Francesca Michielin, La Niña e Rita Pavone ad Aulla per i 30 anni del Premio Lunezia". musicalnews.com (in Italian). Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  51. ^ Derakhshan, Daria (27 October 2025). "La Niña prosegue 'Furèsta Europa'". UAU Magazine (in Italian). Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  52. ^ Stefanini, Simone (2 July 2019). "LA NIÑA e la sua croce". Rockit (in Italian). Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  53. ^ Parigi, Debora (9 February 2024). "Chi è la cantante La Nina? Età, film, canzoni e Instagram". Novella 2000 (in Italian). Retrieved 24 November 2025.
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