Nina Nesbitt Releases New Album 'Mountain Music'

Acclaimed singer-songwriter and producer and multi-instrumentalist, Nina Nesbitt has released her new album, Mountain Music. From exceeding a billion streams to being championed by Taylor Swift and playing shows with everyone from Coldplay to Stevie Nicks, Nina's career has taken her from highlight to highlight. Yet the release of her new album could well be the most significant moment to date. Not only is it a record that leans into an accomplished and engaging new sound, but it's also the first release via her new independent label Apple Tree Records.

Mountain Music is a record in which authenticity flows through every moment. Its impetus was a moment of crisis: Nina had become overwhelmed by the need to be always active on social media and realized it was a huge distraction from her songwriting. So instead, she paused and went back to basics. What emerged was a set of songs which were informed, in part by the two years she spent touring the States in support of her second studio album: the critically acclaimed The Sun Will Come Up, The Seasons Will Change, and partly by the Americana and US folk music that she has always loved. Their narratives also became more personal than ever. She reflected on everything that has happened in her life: growing up in a small Scottish village, breaking into music while living in the bustle of London, and now looking back at all of her life experiences from her new home in the countryside. While it might sound strange that Nesbitt was drawn to the music of Appalachia, heard echoing through the vast, verdant mountain ranges of the eastern United States, it makes more sense when you consider how traditional Scottish ballads and hymns are threads in that rich tapestry.

Speaking about the new album, Nina Nesbitt reveals, "'Mountain Music' feels like the most authentic and honest piece of work I've created so far. I was inspired by a lot of the American folk music I grew up listening to, and revisiting it made me fall back in love with writing music again. I knew I wanted to take inspiration but to also write my own story. This album celebrates that small town girl, puts an arm around the big city twenty-something and looks back at the view with me now from the calm and the quiet. 'Mountain Music' held my hand through some of my hardest moments and I hope it can hold yours too."

The album's organic, resonant feel also comes from a recording process which placed a sharper focus on the importance of live performances. Accompanied by a band of musicians, Peter Miles and Nina produced sessions at Middle Farm Studios in South Devon in the UK, with Peter completing the record with mixing and mastering.

That sound is further showcased as Nina shares the new Mountain Music Session performance of the album's closing track, "Parachute," a swaying, romantic ballad that also addresses her introvert tendencies.Accompanied by a five-piece band, Nina leads a song which steadily grows in stature from sparse piano into a dramatic crescendo of sound. She's visibly lost within the moment, channeling her emotions into an affecting song which charts the self-doubt that she had prior to starting the album. Overcoming those battles is a defining victory for Nina, for as "Parachute" proves, she has really discovered the artist that she was always destined to become.

Speaking about the track, Nina explains, "In this industry, I'm surrounded by a lot of big personalities, a lot of other artists who are super confident and charismatic," she explains. "'Parachute' is about that, and about finding that one person who you can be yourself in front of."

"Parachute" follows previous releases, "Pages" ,"On The Run," "Mansion," "I'm Coming Home," and most recently, "Anger," one of her most personal songs to date. With her biting lyrics and impassioned vocals, Nina unveils a raw, emotional journey while challenging the notion that anger must be contained. She warns that the facade of politeness will one day crumble, revealing the damage done by those who have polluted her with their negativity. This song is her way of unraveling the blush pink bows of her feminine rage, shedding the constraints of being soft and polite. "Anger" is a declaration and reclamation of her power. The track is paired with a visually stunning official music video, directed by longtime and frequent collaborator, Wolf James. Shot on location in the picturesque area of Fairhead in Northern Ireland, with its' vast overgrown fields of green and severe cliffsides with waves crashing beneath, the landscape lends itself perfectly to the feelings of rage conveyed through the lyrics and imbued by music.

Now streaming, physical copies of the album are also available HERE. Formats include four vinyl editions, one of which is pressed using recycled eco-vinyl, while Nina's official store also offers signed copies, bundles and'Mountain Music' merch.

Having recently enjoyed a big spotlight moment when she performed at Team Great Britain's Homecomingshow live on BBC One to over 2 million viewers, and having just completed a dream tour as special guest to Stevie Nicks earlier this year, Nina plans to hit the road next month for a UK headline tour. For a list of upcoming tour dates, please visit HERE.