NADIA SHEIKH is a genre chameleon, an amalgamation of delicate vocals and ominous indie rock.
NADIA SHEIKH is a genre chameleon, an amalgamation of delicate vocals and ominous indie rock. The half British, half Spanish musician mixes strong indie rock tracks and timeless pop tunes with heartfelt acoustics; creating quirky melodies and catchy choruses that stick with you.
Today, she shares the intimate new single, 'Fire Away'; a love letter to the power of live music, and a standout fan favourite across 19 European shows in support of Stereophonics earlier this year.
Speaking about the experiences which inspired 'Fire Away', Nadia explains:
"It's my love song to the crowd. When you walk onstage, you can sometimes feel fear, excitement, you can feel exposed and vulnerable, when you're putting all you've got out there including your songs that are sometimes your deepest feelings, fears and thoughts. But when you get out there, you feel the magic and the love that comes from the people, and that makes you feel like you're not alone.
I really wanted to make the song belong to the people, so I made the lyrics be open to romantic relationships, artistic relationships, or whatever you want it to be. It represents the highs and the lows. The music grows, it drops, it raises again. It's like being on a rollercoaster. I remember the first thing that stood out to me the first time my band and I played it, is that a girl in the crowd couldn't help but throw her hands in the air and other people started hugging each other. That's what I want the song to represent, an explosion of joy that makes you want to throw your hands up in the air."
The bulk of 'Fire Away' was recorded at Rockaway Studios in Castellon (Spain) where she recorded her previous EP 'Everybody Hears But No One's Listening', with the vocals later recorded in her London bedroom before being brought to life by Brett Shaw (Foals, Florence and the Machine) at 123 Studios - with Nigel Walker (Paul McCartney, Elton John) on co-production duties.
Championed by BBC Introducing, BBCR2, BBC 6 Music, Radio X, Planet Rock, RNE and Radio 3 (equivalent to BBC 6 Music in Spain) Nadia is well on her way to making her mark on the music scene.
Earlier this year she and her band embarked on a European tour in support of Stereophonics, playing 19 shows across 8 countries; including sold-out dates at Manchester Arena and Cardiff Arena. They were tipped as one of This Feeling's 'Big in 2018', and have performed all around the UK and Spain, including the Isle of Wight Festival ('18 & '19), FIB (Benicassim Festival) and Y Not Festival.
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