A Scottish Thistle Blooming In American Fields
In the heart of Scotland, a voice known for its pop-influenced songs has undergone a new, but familiar a metamorphosis. Nina Nesbitt, is preparing to share her latest creation this September – an album titled “Mountain Music.” This collection represents Nesbitt’s growth, both in her craft and as a person.
The roots of this work can be traced back to Nesbitt’s extensive tour across the United States, where she promoted her previous album, “The Sun Will Come Up, The Seasons Will Change.” As she traversed America’s varied terrain, from dynamic city centers to secluded small-town havens, Nesbitt found herself drawn to the raw, honest storytelling of folk and Americana music.
This journey coincided with a significant period in Nesbitt’s life. As she neared her late twenties, experiences and emotions began to accumulate, much like the rocky paths of the mountains that would later shape her work. Following the path of many artists before her, Nesbitt recognized the need to step back.
However, the hiatus that followed became more than a break, but a period of growth for what would become “Mountain Music.” This album stands as Nesbitt’s most emotionally impactful work to date. It’s a collection that strips away the glossy veneer of pop production, revealing instead the bare, weathered rock of folk traditions.
“Mountain Music” became more than just a new direction for Nesbitt; it ended up being homecoming to a place she hadn’t known she was seeking. The album’s tracks are akin to well-worn paths through rugged terrain, each one telling a story of struggle, resilience, and the quiet triumphs that come with navigating life’s peaks and valleys.
“Mountain Music” came to life through a collaborative effort with producer Peter Miles at his studio MiddleFarm, nestled South Devon. This picturesque setting provided the perfect backdrop for crafting an album steeped in natural imagery and emotion. And here we also see her get ready to release the album through her own label, Apple Tree Records. This also marks a significant step in Nesbitt’s career. This move gives her control over her art, and is also a statement of artistic independence, reflecting the personal nature of the album itself.
Rage Against the Silence – ‘Anger’ Speaks Volumes
Her new single “Anger,” released today, along with its accompanying music video, is a look at the intense emotions and societal expectations. The song gets into the complexities of expressing anger, particularly from a female perspective. The video, directed by Wolf James, a frequent collaborator of Nesbitt’s, utilizes striking natural imagery to convey the power of anger. Filmed against a backdrop of dramatic cliffs and vast fields, the visuals serve as a metaphor for the overwhelming nature of suppressed emotions.
The song itself tackles the subject of anger with unflinching honesty. Nesbitt’s words give us a look at the internal struggle of societal expectations, personal frustration, and the search for release. She takes various attempts to manage these intense feelings, from physical exertion to self-destructive behaviors, ultimately finding solace in the act of creation itself.
“Anger” stands out for its frank discussion of ‘female rage’, a topic often considered too uncomfortable in mainstream discourse. Nesbitt challenges the notion that anger is solely destructive, instead presenting it as a potential catalyst for creativity and positive change.
In this track, Nesbitt not only processes her own experiences but also opens up a broader conversation about emotional expression and gender expectations. It’s for those who have felt pressured to silence their anger, encouraging us to acknowledge and channel those emotions in constructive ways.
Scaling The Summit – Nina Talks Mountain Music
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Nina Nesbitt to discuss her upcoming album “Mountain Music,” her latest single “Anger,” and the exciting activities that have filled her summer. Our conversation provided insights into her artistic evolution, the inspiration behind her new work, and the path that led her to this pivotal moment in her career. Nesbitt’s responses offered a glimpse into the creative process behind “Mountain Music” and the personal growth that has shaped her recent musical direction.
Thanks for speaking with me today, and happy belated birthday.
Thank you! I’ve just about recovered. It was big few days.
That’s great though. I hope you’re having some great weather out there. You’ve been really busy this summer, and now we’re going into fall, but you’ve had to have been on Cloud 9 after getting the tour with, and meeting with Stevie Nicks. How are you feeling about that and how did that even come about?
Yeah, it’s crazy. It feels like it was some sort of dream. Like, I can’t believe that it happened. It basically started off as a little bit of a joke between me and my friends, because we seen that she was playing at Hyde Park. And it’s my dream to support Stevie Nicks and play Hyde Park. So, I was like, this is two worlds colliding, and I noticed it was the day after my 30th birthday and I thought what an incredible way to celebrate that would be.
The girls were photoshopping my name onto the posters in the underground and they booked the day off work, and then I got the offer! It was just meant to be. So had the best day, and then someone that’s a fan of my music on TikTok informed me there was like a whole tour around it. And they were like, ‘you need to do Glasgow’! And then we inquired if she was looking for a support act, and I guess they were. It was amazing, though. Such a wild experience too be supporting, and to hear her play and her band every night. It was like going back in time. It was just amazing.
Stevie has influenced generations of musicians, has her music or career impacted you as an artist?
Definitely, massively. I think she is such a musical inspiration. She’s a style inspiration, she’s just an inspiration as a human. I feel like she’s been through a lot and she’s just says how it is. Which I really appreciate. Probably the Scottish in me. We’re quite straight to the point as well!
But I just love that she’s very honest. She’s not afraid to write about topics that are maybe difficult, and I really respect that.
Speaking of sharing stages with amazing artists, you recently performed with LeAnn Rimes at The O2 Arena in London. What was that experience like?
It was so cool. It was actually our first gig back in just under two years. So that was really scary to be playing in an arena, even though I’ve done big venues before. I think if you stop doing anything for a while, it’s always daunting going back into it. So it was a good way to just dive head first back into performing live and LeAnn was so lovely. It was so cool to meet her. I grew up listening to her music. So yeah, it was very cool.
LeAnn has had a great career spanning different genres, and now you’re venturing into the folk territory yourself. How has it been performing this new material live such as London’s Camden Assembly?
Yeah, it’s been really exciting. I had quite a pop show before, so it’s just like we performed to a click and it was all quite electronic and it was the same show every night. Whereas this music, obviously it’s a folky album and I wanted to just completely switch up the live performance so we don’t play to a click.
It’s all completely free. There’s no extra track in there. It’s just a bunch of musicians on a stage playing together and just celebrating everyone’s different skills, you know, letting the drummer put a few extra fills in if they want. Guitarist doing a few bits, just trying to celebrate everyone’s playing. And I guess like every night gives the crowd something different, because I think especially with social media, when you see so many clips of live performances, I want people to feel like this set is tailor-made to that audience every night.
So you’re not just like on auto? It’s something different, creative, every night.
Exactly, yeah. Which is scary, but exciting.
That kind of reminds me of the Pixies. They don’t play with a set list. Every night they go on stage, they just play whatever they play. It kind of reminds me of what you’re talking about.
Yeah, I think as an audience member, I don’t want to go to a gig and think, oh, this person’s just saying the same thing again and playing the same thing. I think it’s just more exciting for everyone, but that’s cool. I didn’t know that.
Whether you’re playing in front of 50,000 people or in an intimate setting, do you approach these performances differently, or do you prefer one over the other?
I definitely prefer bigger venues just because it sounds better! Sometimes the small venues, it’s a challenge, especially with a band scenario and I find it quite nerve-wracking to see everyone so up close. But I think the small gigs are special in a different way, but I definitely get more nervous for them because I think you’re so exposed.
Well, speaking of your music, let’s talk about your new album, Mountain Music. What inspired this new direction with your sound?
I actually took a step back from being an artist for about a year and a half after my last record, just because I felt like so much of my time was spent not making music and songwriting for me is why I do this.
I love writing songs, making music, I’m obsessed with storytelling and words. It’s bit of an obsession, so I decided, instead of moaning about having to just do social media the whole time, because that is the world we live in, why not go and do something about it and just dive into songwriting for other people for a bit.
I did that for about a year and a half, and I worked across so many different genres like R&B, dance, folk, pop. Bit of everything and it was really refreshing. I think working with all those different artists, some artists that were new and some artists that were really established, just kind of reminded me that everyone felt so secure in their lanes. So like the R&B artist I was like you are just a great R&B artist or you’re a great DJ. Like everyone’s in their lanes and I thought what is the lane that I want to sit in?
So, it made me think a lot about that, and I think I’ve always naturally sat with a guitar or a piano. And that’s where I’m most comfortable. And I think where my songwriting’s probably the best, so I just did that in the evenings. I started writing these songs and it just came out like, I think the album was written in about two months. It just sort of flowed out and felt very natural.
And then I got to about 8 songs and I thought, well, I think I’ve got an album. I finished it and I think a lot of it was reflecting back on my 20s knowing the 30th birthday was coming. I think your teens and your 20s are such a turbulent time. They were for me anyway, and I think, yeah, it just life seems a bit clearer now that I’m at this age and I’m able to look back with perspective so yeah, I think a lot of it just came out.
This album was your first release on your own record label, Apple Tree Records. What prompted the decision to start your own label?
I left the indie label I was on last year. And I was at a point where, to be honest, I didn’t know if I was going to sign another deal or even make another album. I just as I said, took some time to write. But when I got that album together, I thought, do I want to go out there and try and get another deal. Go with a major, or do I go with an indie?
We spoke to a few people and just none of the deals really made sense to me because I feel like so much of the work is on the artist and the team around the artist. And it just seems silly to sign up to a major label and give away so much for what I feel like is so little in return. And maybe it works for some people, but for this type of music and where I’m at in my career, I just thought why not just try and do it all and take on a new challenge.
And I’ve worked with my manager since I was 17 so quite a long time and we’ve been through all the ups and downs together and my manager has just been so instrumental in everything the past few years in terms of you know, just all the meetings and just getting stuff done. And I feel like together we were like, let’s just do this together and give it a go. So yeah, it’s been really nice.
I mean that’s a great adventure for you. Like you said, you won’t have to give up so much for so little. You can really concentrate on the music and know that you’re going to be getting what you put into.
I think so. Like if it does well, amazing if it doesn’t. We know we’ve done our best!
Well, the music industry is notoriously tough. How have you managed to stay so resilient throughout your career?
I’ve definitely not. I’ve definitely quit multiple times. (laughing) And people just haven’t known about it. But it’s a roller coaster. On a week by week basis, some weeks I feel on top of the world and like I can take on anything. Other weeks. I just feel like I’m the world’s worst musician and I want to give up. So it’s up and down, but I like the excitement of it. And I do like stress. So I’m in the right job!
But it just feels exciting. I think you could quit and go into a job that’s more stable, but then you’d know what every day was going to be. And I like the challenge, and I like the excitement.
I totally understand. It’s the same with music photography. It can be very unstable. People just say ‘go set a desk job editing photos or just writing interviews.’ And I’m just like, I like that excitement. I like knowing that I don’t know what’s going to happen exactly, especially with live shows. Really anything could happen.
Yeah, exactly.
And you just have to be prepared for it. We thrive off of that we chase. So I think having your own label now and being at a more reflective place in your life, being 30, that now you’ll have the openness to really explore everything without feeling that bind to a major record label, like totally do it Nina’s way.
Exactly, it makes you work harder as well. I think in a way cause you have to, otherwise you’re fucked.
Yeah. I wanted to talk about your new video for ‘Anger.’ Your lyrics have always had a way of resonating with fans so much that they get tattoos of them. With Mountain Music reflecting on different stages of your life. How do you think long time fans might connect with these new songs?
I think from what I’ve seen from the singles so far, they seem to really be deeply resonating with a lot of the long term fans, which is lovely. Because I think as I said, a lot of this album is a huge look back on the past 10 to 15 years of my life. And a lot of those people have been with me, going through similar things, seeing me going through things, coming to the gigs, I’ve seen them grow up.
I think a lot of it’s maybe like they’ve seen that journey like they know the journey I’m singing about, which is really nice. And so my hope is that, that is a thing among them all. I’ve definitely had a few lovely messages from people saying that, but I also hope to reach a new audience with it as well. Because I feel like it’s again a different style of music that I kind of started out doing, but never really fully went down that path. I’d always just love to reach even more people, but yeah, I think it’s definitely a special one for me and the long term fan base.
Now one of the songs fans might connect with is ‘Anger’ which is a new single you have coming on August 9th. The song touches on societal expectations of how women should express themselves. Can you elaborate on that aspect a bit more?
So something happened a few years ago that just filled me with so much rage and it was the first time, obviously, I’ve been raging before, but it was really such a deep emotion and such a deep anger that I didn’t know how to express it. And I think as someone who’s quite quiet and reserved and I’m not very good at articulating how I feel, I didn’t really know how to get it out.
So it just made me think a lot about female anger. I read something, there was like a phrase called Feminine Rage. And I read a lot about that, and I really resonated with a lot of it because I feel like I’ve been told to just not make a fuss and be polite. I think that was a huge thing for me. And I think the more I’ve thought about it, I feel like a lot of male anger and rage is associated with destruction and violence and it’s loud and horrible, whereas female anger I think what I felt anyway is that it’s almost like a force of nature.
But it’s like the fuel that we use to create almost. I think we write books, we make albums, and we make art with our anger because I think so much of the time maybe I was afraid of being labeled crazy or mad. I think this song for me was learning my vessel, for that is songwriting. So I think we often throw it into something and try and turn it into like a positive, which was interesting to me. I just think a lot of the women in my life do that. And yeah, it just felt like an interesting topic, but it felt great to get out.
Yeah, I feel that connection. We’re still at a point where we’re expected to be seen and not heard.
Yeah.
The music video for anger is visually stunning from the breathtaking scenery up to the imagery of you breaking plates and swinging with an axe, it really captures the essence of that song. Can you tell us a bit more about where this video was shot and what the creative process was like?
I worked with Wolf James, who I’ve done a lot of my videos with and we had a lot of discussions, but we basically just wanted to create a video that really describes that force of nature. So a lot of it is these extreme cliff sides or like huge vast fields, just very severe natural landscapes that helped kind of depict anger. And it was also based on the map that goes alongside the album, there’s something called the Mountain Map.
Each song has a different stop on the map, so fans can go on a bit of a journey, so I was trying to make that come to life. So if you see the map, I’d say that it kind of makes sense. But, also just getting it out. It was great. I loved picking up an axe, felt very cathartic! Would recommend. I’m really pleased with how it came out.
You picked up a new sport.
Loved it. Yeah, I might have to keep it up.
When it comes to processing the intense emotions like anger, would you say that writing this album was kind of a cathartic release for you? How did the songwriting process for Mountain Music help you navigate these feelings?
Definitely. And like I said, to find it hard to articulate my feelings in a conversation with someone. I think I keep 90% of what I’m feeling buried deep down because. I just like to look on the bright side of things. But I think I had a lot of stuff going on that needed to come out and I feel like this album was almost like a stream of consciousness. Just stuff that I’ve kept buried that needed to be released and it felt great. I feel like it’s a chapter closing.
Were there any songs on the album that were particularly challenging or emotional to write?
‘Anger’ was definitely emotional to perform to vocal. Just because it felt like, Oh my God, this is the song I’ve needed to write to get all this out for so long. I mean, they’re all pretty deep. It was a joy to write and record. Putting it out is a bit tougher cause it feels daunting to be so vulnerable in front of people that don’t know me.
But the hardest one was probably ‘Parachute’, which is the one that’s coming out the day of the album release. Because that one wasn’t even a fully finished song. We were literally about to wrap recording the album. And I had the chorus and some of the verse lyrics and I was like, oh, it’s just not coming to me. I sat down at a piano and finally the song came out. Then we recorded it. I think my favorite song on the album. So I’m really glad that happened, but that was hard to get right.
How did the production and recording process for this album differ from your previous work? Especially having your own label, were there any significant changes in your approach this time around?
It was actually a whole new experience because my last two albums I’d say were pop albums. I worked in Sweden with pop producers on the last one and the one before in the similar way, and it’s just a different style of music, but I feel like with the pop records you’re aiming to get the most perfect vocal you can. Everything’s very clean.
And I think like the auto tune and the way they process the vocals, it’s just a whole sound and I was so used to that on my voice and on my production that stripping it down was quite unsettling when I’ve been so used to hearing myself in a certain way. And being expected to vocally be like completely in tune, completely in time. So I did all the demos here in this room at home and then I knew I wanted to just get in a room with live musicians and record that kind of like they do in Nashville.
But I knew I wanted to stay in the UK because I feel like as inspired as I was by American Music, this album’s like a very So I was like, I think it’d be nice to record it here, and I found a place in Devon and a producer called Peter Miles, who I produced it with. And yeah, I played in the demos and he was like, love the songs, but your voice sounds like a robot.
We need to remove the pop plugins, the auto tunes got to go, like embrace your flaws. Let’s get some character in there. And it was really refreshing, really challenging and really rewarding at the end of it. And I think it’s pushed me to be a better musician. I’m grateful for the process.
Yeah, absolutely. I would say a career milestone for you. As you enter your 30s, are there any particular goals or experiences that you’re looking forward to either personally or professionally?
I’ve got no idea what it’s going to hold. I feel like it’s a very strange time as a woman at this age, because I think your 30s, you can make some huge life decisions that completely change the shape of the rest of your life and I don’t know what that is yet. So it feels exciting. A little bit scary, but I’m just whatever will be will be. I’m just gonna go with it. I just think life’s so unpredictable, especially now, yhat I’m just not making any plans, just living month by month.
Well, I’d say you’re off to a great start. You’re going to be playing a few shows in the UK later this fall. Can you tell us a little bit about those plans?
Yes, I’m doing London, Manchester, Glasgow and they’ll be the first Mountain Music shows which I’m really excited about. And then I’m hoping to come over to America later this year. I’m keeping everything crossed. I’m planning it currently, but I would love to get back out there and really tour all over with this record.
We would love to have you here. I know touring in the United States is not as easy. I know we have a lot of things that we need to work on here with our whole touring, how it all goes, but we would love to have you here and we think the new album is just going to do great here.
Thank you.
I know as an independent artist now touring is going to be a little more difficult and so you’re hoping to expand those dates. Do you have any festivals at all that you have coming up that you’re playing?
I would love to do a whole festival run next summer. That’s definitely a goal of mine. I would love to do some American festivals as well. I feel like so much of this album, the writing is so inspired by US music. So I would really love to see what they think over there. It’s like the Stevie Nicks tour literally just finished, and now it’s like, what do we do now? It is tricky as an independent musician. Obviously you don’t have the tour support, so we just need to make it work, but I feel like there’s always a way.
Well, we’re looking forward to the new album here stateside, and hopefully getting you over here to perform. We really appreciate you speaking with us today, Nina. It was truly a pleasure! Is there anything else that you would like to share or add for your fans?
I just hope they loved the album!
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