“A STAR OF A GENERATION WAITING TO BE DISCOVERED” | ‘SUGARCOATED’ NEW SINGLE BY NIEVE ELLA

SINGLE REVIEW | NIEVE ELLA – SUGARCOATED By Keira Knox

In the perpetually changing UK music scene, Nieve Ella is a name that never fails to enthral both casual listeners and die-hard followers. The emerging indie icon, who has amassed an adoring following with her powerful indie-pop sound seamlessly infused with the nostalgic backdrop of 90s guitar, has returned with the highly anticipated track ‘Sugarcoated.’

Nieve Ella is known for her phenomenal stage presence and guitar prowess. After she sold out tickets for her debut headline tour in less than two minutes in February, more dates in London and Birmingham were quickly added, and each of those events also saw instant ticket sales. In 2024, Nieve Ella is about to experience an unprecedented rise to stardom. ‘Sugarcoated’ is Nieve Ella’s exploration into imposter syndrome, the conflict between her online personality and her genuine identity.

‘Sugarcoated‘ is distinctively Nieve Ella. The entire song is bursting with pulsating guitar rhythms and crashing drumbeats, providing the ideal framework for Nieve’s exquisite vocal range. The 21-year-old is deserving of recognition for the candour of her tunes; she appeals to a broad range of listeners because of her relatability and openness in her lyrics. The singer makes no effort to cover up the turbulence of adolescence, it is authentically her. Nieve Ella skilfully displays her ability to combine powerful choruses with the diverse elements of her distinctive indie-pop sound.

Nieve Ella is destined for glory; she is a star of a generation waiting to be discovered. Listeners’ hearts will undoubtedly be pulled by this track’s overwhelming emotional rawness. She is an inspiration to all young indie music lovers simply due to her amazing lyricism, which can be applied to almost anything, no matter what the circumstance. Nieve’s lyricism makes her fan’s feel heard. Nieve Ella produces passionate indie anthems that are destined to be belted out loud, despite the emotional content of her tracks.

The backing vocals on this track are something to behold. The constant mantra of “looks like you’ve gone and made it” seems to be Nieve’s method of realising how much she has accomplished in a short amount of time. These beautiful vocals are by a supergroup of up-and-coming talents: Alessi Rose, Siobhan Winifred, Darcey Beth, Hannah Grace, and Kai Bosch. With these features, ‘Sugarcoated’ feels even more genuine—a group of extraordinarily gifted artists who are all about to experience a sudden and spectacular climb to fame.

Nieve Ella’s solo prowess is evident throughout the single, as well as the instrumentals and backing vocals provided by her longtime bandmates. Finn Marlow features on the writing credits of this track, whilst also collaborating with bassist Fran Larkin to produce a greater feeling of unadulterated emotion and complement Nieve Ella’s vocals with their soulful harmonies. Matt Garnett’s masterful drumming vibrates throughout the entire track, contributing to the overall unique indie vibe. ‘Sugarcoated‘ is a masterfully composed track, showcasing that Nieve Ella is truly at the top of her game.

Reflecting on her new single, Nieve Ella explains, “‘Sugarcoated’ is written about my struggle with imposter syndrome, how people see me online compared to how I see myself. I had an experience where I met an old friend on a train who I hadn’t seen for years, and the conversation we had completely inspired this song. So, this is me explaining to them how I am still the same person as they knew me at home, but also still celebrating how hard I’ve worked for my dreams. It’s kinda me just saying, ‘sometimes things have to be sugar coated.’”

Following her performance at the Primavera Festival, Nieve Ella will wow crowds at a jam-packed summer festival schedule that includes British Summer Time (where she will support Kings of Leon), TRNSMT, Truck, Latitude, and many more. Alongside The Kooks, she will also be supporting Courteeners at the Lytham Festival. If you are fortunate enough to see Nieve Ella perform live this summer, get ready to be in awe of this talented musician who truly deserves all the praise and acclaim she receives.

Live Dates:

Fri 21 Jun – Netherlands, Pinkpop

Sun 30 Jun – United Kingdom, British Summer Time

Thu 4 Jul – France, Festival Beauregard

Fri 5 Jul – United Kingdom, Lytham Festival

Sat 6 Jul – Poland, Open’er Festival

Fri 12 Jul – United Kingdom, TRNSMT

Sun 21 Jul – United Kingdom, Brighton Beach

Fri 26 Jul – United Kingdom, Truck Festival

Sat 27 Jul – United Kingdom, Tramlines Festival

Sun 28 Jul – United Kingdom, Latitude Festival

Sun 4 Aug – United Kingdom, Y Not Festival

Fri 16 Aug – Belgium, Pukkelpop Festival

Sat 17 Aug – Germany, MS Dockville

Sun 18 Aug – Ireland, Electric Picnic

Fri 23 Aug – United Kingdom, Victorious Festival