“A LITTLE BIT MORE AGRESSIVE AND A LOT MORE ENERGY” NADIA SHEIKH SHARES HER MOST CREATIVE WORK YET

SPANISH BORN SONGSTRESS NADIA SHEIKH TALKS NEW EP ‘NEVERENDING TRIAL’

It (Undefined) was very much a lockdown EP. It was introverted and much softer in a way. With the new EP I wanted to…I mean loud music was coming back…so I wanted to make something that we could play live and be translated that way. I wanna say it was a little bit more aggressive and there’s a lot more energy to it than than Undefined which is a lot more introspective.
NADIA SHEIKH on Neverending Trial

Born and bred in Spain, London based indie rock songstress Nadia Sheikh has just dropped her best effort yet with brand new Neverending Trial. Two years since the release of her first EP Undefined, Nadia has since grew into her rockier side and it’s safe to say, that it suits her. Recorded with Joe Cross (Producer/Bassist The Courteeners) the six track EP, released Friday 22nd September, captures Nadia at her most susceptible yet confident self. Featuring 2023 singles such as The Shadows, Neverending Trial and recent track Don’t Give Up,

Hours before the EP was released, we had the chance to chat to Nadia about the music, her dual nationality and what it’s like being a woman in a man’s world.

NEVERENDING TRIALS

So tell us all about Neverending Trials – What is the inspiration behind the title?

I feel like sometimes I struggle with mental health and anxiety. I write from a personal perspective but if you remove yourself from it, see how things are and how the world is and everything that happens it feels like a neverending trial. It’s just over and over again and it feels like life is an uphill battle. So that’s where the title comes from but I decided to put the two words together never and ending but I put I as just one word ‘neverending’ – it’s such a long word so it’s a neverending trial. I like doing those things even though it’s not technically right.

It’s funny because the title came from the song (Neverending Trial). sometimes I want to embrace life and all of these things and then see yourself set back, sometimes by yourself. Sometimes from your own preconceptions but also from what society expects from you. Especially with social media and that’s part of the never ending trial.

How does this new set of tracks compare with previous projects?

So with Undefined it was a very intimate. I want to say personal but this one is also personal but I think in a different way. Undefined was very very intimate. I had gone through a break up which is obvious because of all the songs about heartbreak. It was very much a lockdown EP – it was introverted and in a way it was much softer. With the new EP loud music was coming back and I wanted to make something that we could play live and that was translated in that way. It is a little bit more aggressive and had more energy to it unlike Undefined which was a little more introspective.

Is the rockier energy of Neverending Trial closer to the direction you want to go in?

It’s hard because I feel like all my music isn’t within the same genre that it’s quite eclectic. So I do have a plan to where I go next but I don’t know if it will go that direction. I think I’m going to go more poppy but I don’t know, it might not go that way but that’s what I want.

THE SHADOWS

Six stunning songs to take in, Nadia Sheikh second EP is a miniscule hint of the depths of the talent on show here. The opening track – and Nadia’s personal favourite – is The Shadows and it may actually be familiar to some fans.

(The Shadows) was a track we brought back to life. It’s quite an old song in a sense but we loved playing it live. I had wrote Undefined, and I had wrote all these other songs that kinda stayed back. It was a very old demo and it sounded a bit…bad. We had a very long list of potential songs and demos which I was showing Joe (Cross) and he went ‘Thats a really great song’. So when started reworking it and it gave it an injection of life. Every time I hear it now I just think wow.
Nadia Sheikh on The Shadows

The Shadows lay the groundwork for the songs ahead. Emotive indie rock with a passionately fiery heart, Nadia’s music is intense ride. There is an instant nostalgia around her vocal tone which continues to build throughout. Think Dolores O’Riordan (Cranberries) or Alanis Morrissette and you get the similarities.

Continuing the introspective theme, Broken Bridges unveils a relatable inner strength. When I asked Nadia about the concept around the songs on the EP, she explained how her own experiences and growth allowed her to express herself more introspectively. One topic we touched upon was Nadia’s own experiences being a woman in a traditional mans world.

Do you find being a woman difficult creating indie rock music or do you feel you’re treated as well as the guys out there doing similar?

It’s tricky to say because it shouldn’t be like that but I love guitars and that’s why I make the music that I do and I love listening to it. If you look at the kind of landscape right now there’s a lot of people doing guitar music. Look at Wolf Alice and the more indie underground to very well known bands. Lots of Olivia Rodrigo music has guitar in it and even Avril Lavigne is back. There’s a big growing scene.

But I have played all day line ups, even festivals where I was the only female on the bill. And that doesn’t mean fronting a band or being the actual artist, I mean like everywhere.

Sometimes even just going to gigs and being one of the only women there and feel like you don’t belong to the gang. But saying that, my band are all guys and I love them, we’re a unit. Most of the time it’s fine and I feel so welcome but it still exists. there’s almost an unspoken misogyny.

FIGHTING FOR AIR

This entire collection of songs has an unmistaken relatability which comes from Nadia’s own demons. The reoccurring theme which connects all of the tracks on the EP is that they all reflect a difficult period or journey in life but rather than dwelling on things, Nadia’s perspective is one of fight. Nadia’s lyricism reflects passion and strength with a comforting momentum. I asked Nadia about the final track on the EP Fighting for Air.

I wrote that song at a time where I was really struggling with anxiety. If I’m not mistaken, I’m sure I wrote that during one of the lockdowns. But I hadn’t recorded it yet as I wanted to do undefined first and this song belonged to this (now) project. It’s funny how songs just belong to different places. For me that song (Fighting for Air) represents that lingering darkness that you just can’t shake off. The chorus lyric “I’m fighting for air, I’m holding on to the weakest flare but I’m fighting for air”. For me that says I’m going to get through this but it’s a struggle.
Nadia Sheikh on Fighting for Air

DON’T GIVE UP

What really brings the fiery passion to Neverending Trial though is the energetic fusion of guitars. Nadia and her band, with the injection of Joe Cross’ atmospheric production completely transform the already well positioned tracks. Don’t Give Up is a model example of how a songs instrumentation can turn a chorus into a headline worthy anthem. With an upcoming string of shows across the UK and Spain, the live rendition of this EP should be a treat.

Born in Spain, Nadia moved to the UK aged 18 for university but explains she always intended to bring her music with her. Despite the language barriers, Nadia wants her music to extend over both countries and beyond.

How does your music go down in Spain? Do you find much difference than in the UK?

I feel like people who follow me are very spread around. I made music before I moved to London so there were already people following me in spain who have stayed with me. Obviously the language barrier can be a thing but they listen the music in English there anyway. I think it’s harder to get to a broader audience as I’m based here (London) where I play more gigs and get a lot of great support. There’s that language thing though and it’s much harder to get play in Spanish radio as people tend to stick to Spanish music. But you look at festival line ups in Spain like Benicasim which is just like here but with sun.

Do you have any favourite new or emerging artists from the UK?

Yeah, so my friend Ulysses Well he’s amazing and has been releasing some new music so I definitely recommend everyone to check him out. There were so many amazing bands at Lakefest too, I was shocked. I was actually a finalist for a competition arranged by Casio and we did this little gig on Tuesday night in East London. It was just piano/vocal and we all did one song each and everybody was AMAZING! The girl who won – one of two who won – her name is May Payne, she was incredible. There is just so much talent, so many amazing artists, bands and peers out there. Coach party released their debut album and that’s really good as well. Oh and Wunderhorse – this year I have been obsessed with Wunderhorse.

VERDICT?

I think it’s fair to conclude that this EP has left a lasting impression. The unique combination of Nadia’s deep lyricism, her unmistakable raspy rock vocals and guitar fuelled atmospheric energy, the young songstress is bursting with potential.

Nadia Sheikh will go on tour with her band later this week. Starting at Manchester’s 33 Oldham Street on Thursday 28th September, Nadia will then play London’s The Grace on Friday 29th before heading back to Spain for a series of homecoming shows.

TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE

You can listen to the full, unfiltered interview with Nadia HERE