Very Special Guest Interview - Nuala

 Nuala is a young, exciting musician who has a great passion for the music industry and has a reputation for creating music of the highest quality. Nuala is well travelled having spent a year living in America, and after growing up in Leicester, she is now proud to call London her home. Nuala is very well known in the North London region and is a popular figure on the pubs and clubs’ circuit. As with many up-and-coming artists, this year has been a massive challenge for Nuala with a large number of gigs having been cancelled. There has been a high-class EP which is available to stream on Spotify as well as other major streaming platforms which, take it from me, is well worth the time to listen to. 

I would like to once again thank Nuala for taking part in this interview & the lovely conversation that we had over Zoom. The responses to these questions are a combination of Nuala's words and my condensed version of them. 

Take us back to the beginning. How did your music journey start?

My passion for music and singing came about very early. The first experience I remember was when I had a solo part in a Nativity play at school at the age of 4, that was the moment everyone realised I had a talent and it just grew from there. At 13 I joined my first band playing rock covers and from there I began learning the piano before starting gigging as a soloist in pubs and clubs. It wasn’t till I moved to London when things really started vamping up and I got the opportunity to write with some great songwriters. 

Bonus question – are your fans more important than your manager?

Definitely my fans. Having a manager can be important because they open so many doors within the industry and can also provide some good opportunities. However, artists are nothing without their fans. They are so supportive and are the ones that we play for. 

Personally, I do not think you can describe your music style in one word. How would you describe your style of music?

I write pop songs with an edge of soul, rock and reggae. It really depends on the song I am writing and what mood I am in. I’d say I write pop music with a twist although with the next EP I am exploring a more soulful vibe. 

Everyone has their own unique way of tackling the song writing process. From beginning to end, how do you write a song?

Most of the time I will just be strumming on my guitar and whenever I find some cool chords, I will record them on my phone. Then I will try to find a melody I like so I can put some lyrics to it. I record a lot on my phone until I find the lyrics and melody that work. I also like to dig through old lyrics of songs that I have not released. I might go back to old songs and see if I can make them better, or if there are any words that might work in a new song.

You have already told us some of the amazing artists that you have worked with. If you could collaborate with any artist of your choice, who would it be and why?

A dream collaboration. Wow that is such a difficult question I really should have had an answer prepared. I would love to work with Leanna Le Havas because she has such a happy and soulful vibe & I LOVE her voice. Also love Jessie Reyez style of writing. There are so many people i’d like to write with. 

You have already mentioned how important your fans are to you, so if you could give them one message what would you say?

Never be afraid to be weird & always be your true self. And also you never know what is around the corner so make the most of every opportunity that comes your way. Push through the uncomfortability, do things that scare you!

It would be impossible to go through this whole interview without saying the word Covid. Everyone has been impacted in so many ways this year. How has the pandemic impacted up -and-coming artists such as yourself?

I have seen so many artists have to cancel gigs this year. It’s not just artists though. The pandemic has affected everyone all year. At the beginning of the year I was supposed to be supporting Martha Gunn on her tour up north which was gutting to get cancelled. It was something I was really looking forward to. I had also just put a band together to go and play some live shows but we haven’t really practised that much because we couldn’t all get together. I also wanted to play some gigs to promote my EP which had to be cancelled as well. I have been able to play a couple of gigs this year but I wanted the chance to get out there and meet some of the people who have supported me so much. 

You have told us that you enjoy a range of different styles of music, so what is your favourite original to perform live and your favourite cover to play?

It really depends on what mood I am in to be honest. In terms of originals, if I am feeling chilled and relaxed it has to be Warrior. I love the jazzy vocals I can include on that song! If I am in a more upbeat mood then something like Keep Running. That song has become a Nuala fan anthem that I have to play in every set. My favourite covers to play are What’s Up by 4 Non-Blondes and Zombie by The Cranberries. They are both amazing songs that I love playing!

All the best artists have experienced embarrassing moments on stage. What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you while performing live?

Thankfully nothing really embarrassing has happened to me.. yet. Probably the worst moment was at a gig quite a while ago. I was really nervous and my voice went all squeaky and high pitched. I generally mess up here and there but I have fun with it and it’s a part of the show that some of my fans say they actually enjoy. 

What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given? What was it?

I have been given so much amazing advice from people which I am so grateful for. Someone told me once that if you're in a writing session and are really feeling an idea you’ve come up with then stand your ground and make sure it gets put into your music as other people will feel it too. Song writing collaborations are partly about compromise and listening, but don’t let the really great ideas fall by the wayside because of other people’s opinions when it comes to your own music. You have to believe in yourself and your talent.

The music industry has taken a blow this year, so what is the one thing you wish you could change about it?

Well for a start nowadays everyone is streaming from Spotify and other music platforms so there is lower demand for CDs which used to be a big source of income for musicians. Also, labels are unwilling to give new artists a chance because they do not trust them to be successful. Everyone needs a chance to showcase what they can do. Even the biggest artists had to start somewhere.

As someone who spends a lot of time being watched, and therefore judged, by other people, is there ever a time when you have felt the need to be ‘perfect’?

I’m not sure there is such a thing as being perfect. I definitely feel pressure to perform well every time I go on stage and will often doubt myself when I feel I could have done better. I still sometimes get nervous before going on stage, even if there’s only a small audience because I never want to mess up! We are always being judged so I try to just be myself and hope people like me for who I am. You have to embrace things even when things get tough.

There are probably lots of people reading this who have never heard of you before. Tell them something that might surprise people about yourself.

When I was 9, I lived in America for a year which was really cool.

As I’m sure you have seen there have been a lot of artists playing regular live streams like yourself. Are there any that you have watched? If so, who are your favourites?

Most of the ones I come across are from seeing them on your page! I am a big fan of Daisy Clark who I know you watch a lot. Maybe you could organise a live stream with your favourite artists one day after lockdown. 

Oh my God that would be so awesome. I have to make this happen!

I have been watching a lot of different artists such as Maia Delilah who is a fantastic guitar player, Mad Max and Sonny. Social media has been a massive part of music during the lockdowns and have been so important for people’s mental health and wellbeing.

Finally, Nuala, what have you got planned for next year, Covid depending of course?

I plan to release lots more music, collaborate with some talented people and get back to playing gigs…maybe even a tour!

I would like to say a massive thank you to Nuala for taking part in this interview. She performs Facebook live streams every Wednesday at 8pm and can be found at https://www.nualaofficial.com as well as on Spotify where you can listen to her EP. You will not regret your decision to give her a listen, and stay close for a live recording of the interview coming soon!