Earlier this year, Nieve Ella followed up her debut ‘Young And Naive’ EP with rocking new single ‘Big House’ ahead of a busy festival season. “It feels so confident,” she told us at the time before admitting she was a fake it until you make it kinda person.
Four months and a whole bunch of festivals later, Nieve explains how Reading Festival changed her life, new music and inspiring others.
Hey Nieve. Your set was brilliant. Does it feel like much has changed for you since you started this festival run?
A lot has changed. I feel like my confidence has changed, and the amount of people that listen to the music has changed as well. There’s more people now and it’s just so wonderful. I’ve learned so much as well. My body just feels free when I’m onstage now. I’m so glad I got to play these shows because it helped me gain so much confidence and it feels like people are here for the music and we’re all a part of this community.
Since Young And Naive, you’ve been writing songs for the big, cathartic festival moments that we saw today at Reading. How was today for you?
Being able to do that in front of that many people is everything I ever wanted. When I sit in the studio, I write songs imagining playing them at a festival, and today was exactly how I wanted it to feel.
Alongside your direct lyrics, you start each set by hosting a dance party to Shania Twain’s ‘Man! I Feel Like A Woman’. Why?
I want people to feel like they’re just listening to music in their own room, having fun and dancing throughout my set. It inspires a sense of freedom. It’s so much fun watching the front row all dancing, but it makes me wish they were all onstage with me.
You mentioned you’re more confident. Has that influenced the new EP ‘Lifetime Of Wanting’?
Definitely. The new single ‘Your Room’ has that confidence but is also angsty and fun. I wanted that feeling across the record and I can’t wait to play it live. It’s louder than what’s come before, and there’s a lot more guitars. The last song is very, very sad, though.
Seeing that response, it makes me want to do more.
Nieve Ella
What were you writing about?
It’s just about my insecurities. I’m in a relationship now and I wasn’t before, and as great as being in love is, it can also be so frustrating for both people. I wanted to be real about that.
Are you starting to think debut album yet?
I need more time. I want to keep exploring new sounds and find something that feels like me. I love acoustic music, but I’m also into Sam Fender. I don’t always know which way to go but I just want to keep writing. I want to get into the studio as soon as these shows are done because I’m so inspired right now. I feel as though it’s just the start for me. Today has changed a lot for me though. Just seeing that many people turn up to watch me perform and sing along, that’s made me believe that I can just do it, because it’s not easy to believe in yourself all the time. But seeing that response, it makes me want to do more.
Sam Fender obviously headlined Reading on Friday night. Was that inspiring for you?
The reason I love his music is because he’s stayed exactly the same, it’s just more people are listening now. I want that for myself, so seeing him at the top of the bill at Reading is so inspiring.
At the same time, you must be at the point where you’re like, ‘Oh, maybe I’m inspiring other people’?
Yes, somebody came up to me after my set today and said I inspired them, because they were writing songs but not doing anything with them. We ended up having a big chat about how I did things and it was such a lovely experience. All I want to do is affect people’s lives in the best way possible, and encourage them to do whatever it is they want to do. Anyone can do this, because I’m just a normal person.
That response from people makes me want to say absolutely everything I feel, because I know they’re going to relate to it. I don’t care how raw a song is for me, if it can help someone else feel good.
