By Lauren Bulla
Nella is an up and coming alternative indie pop/ dark dream pop musician based in London. On April 5th, Nella released a new single entitled STORM. This track does a perfect job of catering to Nella’s aesthetic and wider vibe, they are someone who appreciates the emotional and whimsical alongside more serious subject matter. This is best summed up by imagery of pastel doll-like outfits which accompany bloody fingers strumming pink guitars. It’s a perfect combination of softer feminine energy and a bit of grittiness, which make their style and craft multi-dimensional.
I briefly spoke with Nella regarding the new release and their wider musical practice. I started off by asking when she first got into music to try to understand the fuller picture. It all started with a karaoke machine at Christmas that Nella requested at the early age of five. Music runs in Nella’s family – both her mother and grandmother loved singing all the while, her father was a major rock fan and collector of vinyls.
Early memories of her affinity for music developed as a result of Disney Channel and Nickelodeon. Joining the vast fandom of shows like Hannah Montana, Camp Rock, High School Musical, and Victorious, she was an avid viewer. Nella expressed that these shows really sparked an initial passion for music and the immediate realization that this was the direction she’d take her creative inclinations. Music was the path that most compelled her.
I find it interesting to dig into the origins of each creatives’ practice, with Nella I asked where their inspiration comes from and how each song is brought to life. Nella expressed, “I’ve always been mesmerized by the sky. I love rainy days, I find these gloomy, introspective days incredibly healing and relaxing,” a take I found to be quite rare amongst the London masses. Nella chases the rain as opposed to many who may find themselves running from it. This is implemented throughout her art practice as much of her music is inspired by her mental health and its accompanying emotions.
STORM, her newly released single is “inspired by a summer night in 2016 where I was home in France with my sister, watching lightning strike in the night and taking pictures,” she continued “this environment was so breathtaking and beautiful I decided I wanted to try to make music that does justice to magnificent natural elements”. Nella is so inspired by the natural world that she “wanted to turn it into art and immortalise it in [her] music”.
Settling into the London music scene, Nella’s favorite performance took place at The George Tavern on February 19th this year. Playing the venue was special to her as she’d been there for many gigs in the past, and made plenty of memories in that space. She organized the event herself and expressed that “so many of my friends showed up and met many new ones as well, the audience was amazing, it was such a thrill”.
Unearthing a little more about STORM, I felt it important to understand Nella’s vision for her fans as they engaged with the track. The song itself tells a tale of “ignoring and avoiding your problems, denying help until your mental health is horrible” and the inevitable “mental breakdown incoming if you don’t get it together”. All in all, this single is “about encouraging people to seek help, face their problems instead of procrastinating because ignoring things doesn’t make them any easier”. Nella expressed that listeners ideally would listen to this track on a rainy or stormy day, in a car gazing out of the window, on a bike ride home, a mental health walk, or “sheltered in the comfort of their home, whilst watching the rain pour down outside,” Nella concluded by saying “I hope they get the perfect stormy experience with this song”.
Upon first listen, there’s a certain nostalgic feeling that aligns with the music. Nella derives a lot of her inspiration from artists like the Arctic Monkeys, The Neighbourhood and Bring me the Horizon. A vague pop-punky, rock vibe presents through this track which is elevated by heavy drums and cymbals, making it an engaging listen. The instrumentals add to a vaguely ominous storyline that the lyrics paint for the listener. A few weather-report-esk soundbites pop into your headphones throughout, which I found to be clever and fun, making the overall mood a bit brighter despite the heavy subject matter. This single is the first to launch the rollout of Nella’s debut EP « Dark Clouds », which is set to come out later this year. Nella is one to keep up with, her newest release, STORM, is well worth the addition to those moody summer playlists.
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