She began writing her own material, which had one foot in her classical training and the other in the avant rock she was discovering. In N.Y.C., she became as involved in the world of underground rock as she was in the realms of classical music, inspired by the likes of Antony and the Johnsons and Nina Nastasia and their intimate performances at venues such as Tonic, the Living Room, and the Knitting Factory. She studied opera at the University of North Texas' music program, and after graduation, moved to New York City to continue her vocal studies.

Raised in Ypsilanti, Michigan, she spent her youth listening to gospel, jazz, and classical music and performing in the church choir. Nova grew up the daughter of a National Accordion Championship-winning father and a mother who was an organist for their Pentecostal church.

Following well-received albums like 2006's Bring Me the Workhorse, Nova returned to her home state of Michigan and drew inspiration from her surroundings in Detroit for new work like 2011's All Things Will Unwind and the more dancefloor geared 2018 album A Million and One.

The project began when she was living in New York City and collaborating heavily with like-minded genre-bender Sufjan Stevens. Over the course of multiple albums, Nova's songs would shift between moody indie rock, densely arranged chamber pop, and even electro-tinged dance material. Mixing elements of opera, cabaret, chamber music, and rock, singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Shara Nova (previously Shara Worden) called on her classical training for her multi-faceted solo project My Brightest Diamond.

My brightest diamond be brave