Introducing The Pop-Soul Newcomer NAHLI
Newcomer NAHLI has been on our radar ever since we hear her debut EP ‘Therapy [Side A]. To help save us from a turbulent 2020, the Essex native has teamed up with national treasure Big Narstie for the UK Garage track ‘Catch 22’, which is out now. We caught up with NAHLI from her home in east London to discuss Fashion, the future of live music, and Halloween.
NAHLI, where have you been all of our life?! We love your new single, so for anyone that is silly enough not to have heard it, what’s the track about?
I’ve been working silently! I love doing that because when I crawl back out of my creative cave into the sunshine again with a big bag full of new stuff it makes it even more exciting for me to share.
‘Catch 22’ is about a dude actually. I went through quite a weird time with him for about 9 months. The entire relationship was under the radar, which was difficult for me because in music you can use any excuse under the sun as a producer/artist to give yourself an alibi for almost anything. I could ask him why his coat smelt like pussy and perfume and he could say “some girl was wearing it in my session” and I couldn’t say shit haha. It was so dumb, honestly. I never knew what to believe so I actually just backed away from the whole situation. I guess he was the first person I met after a big breakup, so everything felt more heightened. The passion, the angst, the love. All of it. I respect him, though. We’re friends now. We just weren’t right for each other then.
It also features the legendary Big Narstie – how the hell did that collaboration happen?
He’s actually so kind. Away from the cameras and away from the consistently necessity to be a big personality, he’s a really lovely soul. He was so kind and thoughtful on the day and shared some pearls of wisdom with. He’s really talented and he makes us all laugh. Rebel Records linked this one up actually. They’re a new label and they’re great. The owner is a producer (Ripperman) who worked on Narstie’s EP’s and is a good friend of his. Thankfully Narstie loved the track and wanted to get involved. I was so excited when I first heard that news!!
We’ve had a sneak peek at the official video too – how much fun was that on-set?
I HAD THE BEST TIME. I bought all my homies down, my girlfriend, my best friends, my little brothers, my mum. Everyone was there to support and to have cameos in the video. The mansion was insane too. So many bedrooms with massive marble bathrooms with gold and crystal everywhere. The video was directed & edited by DaVinChe. His vision is crazy. He always lets me have creative input which is really important to me.
‘Catch 22’ has an old UKG sound – is that a time in music that you’re really fond of?
Old UKG. An era of absolute CLASSICS. It makes you all wanna get up and sing. I think it brings people together. I’ve favoured this sound throughout my music journey, and it’s been quite a natural thing. I never decided that I wanted to work solely on garage tracks, I just seemed to gravitate towards them naturally. Conducta’s ‘Only U’ and RudeKids ‘Please Don’t’ were on a lot of my friends’ playlists before they even met me which is always so crazy. People love that sound.
It has a different sound to your EP from last year – are you always up for experimenting, sonically, when creating new music?
I think that my first EP was actually a real healing process for me. That music wasn’t planned to be any particular sound at all, it’s just what came out. Those lyrics were lyrics I needed to get off my chest. Those lyrics were things I needed to say out loud, knowing that the desired people would hear them and understand me a little better. I can find it difficult to express my emotions sometimes, in person. I much prefer writing in a diary or writing music. I am absolutely up for not staying in one place musically. DaVinChe is such a bountiful producer, he really has so much up his sleeve. We create what we feel, and that’s really special to me because I never feel pressured to sound a certain way or keep ‘on brand’…As long as my music has the key ingredients. Honesty, authenticity, and relatability. I need you to feel my music on a different level. I need and want you to be able to find your own healing processes in the words I choose to explain my own experiences. That’s what matters to me the most.
You have an incredible grit and soulfulness to your voice – when did you realise that you could really sing?
Thank you so much! I always feel really bashful and cute when I get complimented on my voice. It’s like, something I’ve been crafting for a really long time, so those compliments hit the best. I’ve always had a voice. I’ve always had the tools to sing. The talent behind me. I realised that I’d fallen into the trap of sounding American when I sang, despite being British, for years. And that really works for a lot of artists, and I love that sound. But I realised…hold on. ‘I’m from bloody Essex. I was born in London. Why don’t I just sing with my real accent?’ Getting myself out of that habit actually took some time. And now I’ve found a real uniqueness to my voice. Thank God DaVinChe talked me through this idea in the first place because I really knew who I was as an artist, as soon as I decided to be unapologetically myself. In every way, I possibly could.
Are you from a musical family?
Yes! Both my parents are singers. I grew up absolutely surrounded with music. I’d be by the stage, behind the speakers, a little away from the noise, in my buggy. I remember feeling such a flush of pride watching them on stage as I grew up. I never actually wanted to go down the same path. I didn’t want to be like my parents. I don’t come from money and I wanted to take my own path, but, no matter what job I had, whether it was in care or in perfumery, or at a bar…I was always singing. That’s the only thing that would get me through my shifts. And I just kept hearing over and over again “You should go and do something with that voice” – So I did. Stage fright was a huge hurdle for me for a really long time, which seems silly because I’ve got quite a big personality so you wouldn’t expect it. It honestly wasn’t until I went on tour with Sigma as their live vocalist that I realised…I can do this. I really can. And since then, my nerves are so much calmer.
Not one to shy away from collaborations, who is on your wish list for any future collaborations?
There are so many people I love in this industry. We have so many talented artists around us. I’d love to work with DUCKWRTH, Princess Nokia, AJ Tracey, Lady Gaga, Dermot Kennedy. KAYTRANADA, Anderson Paak, Sabrina Claudio, Russ, Lucky Daye, Victoria Monet, Tom Misch, Earthgang……the list could go on for ages.
You’re an all-round creative, with a passion for painting! Is painting your therapy and what inspires you to create such wonderful pieces of work.
Living with my friend Aymi (@aymsdesigns) really helped me because she’s an artist. A wonderful painter. She’s totally amazing and a real businesswoman with total boss energy. She’s so inspirational to me. She helped me find this within myself because she always invited me along to her creative art studio and just let me run wild in there. I can’t thank her enough for that.
Painting keeps my racing thoughts in a bit of a neater line. It doesn’t stop them completely, but it helps to organise them. I get time to focus on each thing on my mind and get through it a little easier than I usually would. I love having full control over something.
Music can sometimes be out of my hands. I’m in control of the lyrics, and the sounds, but I’m not in control of the journey. Painting…I paint what I want. When I want. It feels so beautiful to find stability in something whilst being within an industry that can truly be a rollercoaster. I just paint what interests me. I watched a documentary on Hugh Hefner recently about his Playboy empire and that’s what triggered my series of paintings of naked women. Women, they’re all so beautiful and powerful. And, growing up I found myself in some jobs that put the same female energy forward, so it really hits a spot for me.
We love your style – where do you draw inspiration from, fashion-wise?
I grew up in Essex and my friends always used to tell me I dressed weird! I felt really restricted in Essex because most of the shops sold the same kinds of clothes. I didn’t like wearing the same clothes as everyone else. When I moved to London and found so many vintage stores full of the most random shit, I was absolutely in my element. I found myself. I was able to wear weird clothes without anything giving me a strange look. I really enjoy throwback 90’s and bright colours. I love denim, leathers, but I also LOVE the 50’s era. That whole pin-up style. I guess I give a little nod to both in the way I dress.
What’s the first gig you’re going to go to once live music is back in play?
First of all, I’d really like to find some cool artists that I’ve never heard before and go to support them. This lockdown has hit us all pretty hard and to show some music talent any support I can once live shows are back on, I will be absolutely making that a priority. I love the Jazz Cafe for that. I’ve found so many amazing artists through that bar, but you know what I need to see Billie Eilish. She’s so talented. If Debbie Harry is still doing gigs, I’m going there, or Dolly Parton.
What have you missed most about live music and playing live during the past 6months?
I miss the feeling in the room. The feeling you get across your skin as the snare gets its first lick of attention. The lights. The tiny smile you can’t help, creeping across your face. That little squeeze you give your mates when you hear the intro of your favourite song. The people behind you sloshing their cheap beer across the back of your ankles but you just don’t care because you’re there. In the moment. In your favourite place.
But…being on the actual stage. Seeing all your homies in the audience, waiting for you to start…It’s a feeling I can’t quite explain. Time doesn’t really exist when you’re on stage.
What can fans expect from one of your shows?
So, I don’t actually ever mean for them to be funny, but they always are. Somehow there’s always a joke around the room when I start talking about my wanker exes. I don’t know what energy I give out but literally, the room has a conversation amongst itself and it’s so amazing every time!!! I have SUCH a laugh on stage with the audience. They’re always full of my friends like I said, who are all chatty and open and loving, and together we just create a little crew. It’s never me and the audience, it’s all of us together. And I love that shit.
If there was one venue in the entire world that you’d love to play, which one would it be?
It would have to be the SuperBowl. I also have dreams of singing on the same stage MJ did in Budapest. Best live show I’ve ever watched. I wish wish wish I was around to see that.
What’s surprised you most about 2020 so far?
Well, I started it with a broken leg. I snapped my tibia, so that suckkked. I’ve realised that seeing negatives in a different light is really helpful. I thought it was the worst thing in the world at the time, but I just ended up getting closer to my friends. I learned to paint with all my free time and I realised, there’s a reason for everything we experience. I needed that time to nurture that artistic part of myself. I needed to outgrow past habits and being stuck at home on my own head gave me the means to do that. Then going into lockdown straight afterwards…I learned so much about myself. About the world, unfortunately…But, at my worst times, I found my best lessons and that’s a really useful thing to learn in itself.
With Halloween quickly on the approach, how did you intend to spend the spooky season?
Halloween is my absolute favourite time of the year and I assume we’ll all be cooped up at home because of the rule of 6. BUT that won’t stop me dressing up and running around causing havoc with my girl. She’s just as naughty as me if not worse. She’s the most fun person I know. I hope to see my little brother if he’s not too cool to hang out with me!! I’m doing sober October which has been really good actually. I don’t miss alcohol at all yet, but, we’ll see how I end up on Halloween night!!
Make sure to listen to NAHLI latest track with Big Narstie ‘Catch 22’ here and below.
