INTERVIEWS MUSIC
NADEDJA
Image by Michael Sreenan
BEVERLEY KNIGHT TALKS TO THE BRAZILIAN-BORN, NEWCASTLE-BASED ARTIST ABOUT THE SOUNDS THAT HAVE SHAPED HER The glow of Nadedja’s sound is truly international. Originally from South America, she has performed live on Brazilian TV and gained thousands of streams from 78 different countries, and she now chooses bonny Newcastle as her home. Connectivity is well and truly active for her: “I moved to the UK in 2017. I’m constantly in touch with friends, family and my audience through my social media. Keeping track of Brazilian news and being connected with the people is a big part of my daily routine, so much so that most of the time, when I sleep, I dream of Brazil.” She started writing music when she was 12 as an intuitive way to processing her feelings as a teenager. Over time it became an integral part of who she is, but remained a hobby until 2019 when she was studying. “The local North East scene, my course and the sheer excitement of being in a new country completely changed how I saw music. I’ll always be a singer-songwriter at heart, but I learnt how to craft, build and experiment. I fell in love with alt. pop and electro pop.” She explains. Allowing herself to head into that territory, she sought ways to exhibit her culture in the sound. “This might sound cliché, but music means everything to me. I understand my feelings only when
MUSIC MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME. I UNDERSTAND MY FEELINGS ONLY WHEN I LISTEN BACK TO WHAT I’VE WRITTEN. IT CHALLENGES ME AND BRINGS ME A KIND OF HAPPINESS THAT NOTHING ELSE CAN
I listen back to what I’ve written. But it’s not only that; it is so much fun and gives me the opportunity to connect with people. It challenges me and brings me a kind of happiness that nothing else can.” New single Sand is a gorgeous affair, effortlessly shifting from a ballad-like state into a sensual floor-filler. She thinks of it sonically: “The drums were one of the most important parts of this track, as I wanted it to have a more Latin, percussive rhythm to combine with soft beats. This effect, together with the synths, really give it a 90s Brazilian pop vibe.” The songwriter reveals that she worked closely with Newcastlebased producer HATi. “She’s one of the most talented people I’ve ever met and understands me. Sand is a mixture of both real instruments and electronic features. We recorded keys, bass guitar, flute and even sampled my vocals to play with, but we mixed it with the beats, synths and other electronic sounds.” Sand is about reassuring ourselves of the extent to which we are willing to change or accept the parts we want to stay the same: fundamental truths. She goes on: “We all can’t hide our real intentions, history and desires. The first part of the song is an honest reveal, and the second part is a response to these revelations.” Sand is the second single from EP Transient, due at the end of the Summer. “The other tracks are still alt. pop but maybe a bit more soulful and emotional. I actually can’t wait for you to hear it!” Nadedja releases Sand on 9th April www.nadedja.com
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