EP REVIEW | NIEVE ELLA – WATCH IT ACHE AND BLEED By Keira Knox

For West Midlands based singer-songwriter, Nieve Ella, the past few months have been intense, propelling her into the next phase of her professional career. The 21-year-old’s ground-breaking new 8-track EP, ‘Watch It Ache And Bleed,’ is the product of this period. The EP comes fresh off the back of an 18-date arena tour in support of Girl In Red, where Nieve Ella has accumulated a growing following—and rightfully so. The eight-track EP, which is a tribute to fully developed self-awareness, moves between gritty 90s indie with a polished pop edge. It perfectly captures the spirit of a young artist who has reinvented what it is to be driven and ambitious.

With the overwhelming, liberating adrenaline of the stage in mind, ‘Watch It Ache And Bleed’ was written. In just two short years, Nieve Ella’s wit and captivating live persona have assisted her cultivate a fiercely loyal and outspoken fanbase. Her unwavering authenticity is demonstrated by her supporters, who set up a plethora of online fan accounts and frequently wait hours in queue while exchanging gifts before her performances. Nieve Ella avoids exaggeration in her lyrics, instead offering raw insights on her experiences with maturing, impetuous times, and those first, unplanned breakups. She provides listeners navigating their own self-discovery journeys with an honest voice.

Her distinctive guitar riffs welcome you into the EP in ‘Anything‘. Her vulnerability is key to the sincerity of her lyrics, ‘Anything’ is a plead within a relationship, a one-sided argument begging for more effort. Crashing drum beats courtesy of Matt Garnett, further add to the intensity that Nieve Ella has masterfully conquered in her lyrics. The track maintains the upbeat vibe that we’ve grown accustomed to hearing from Ella thanks to the pop undertones that are woven throughout. It’s an indie heartbreak anthem, the singer eloquently portrays the rawest of emotions as if they were poetry, solidifying her position as the most prominent voice of the emerging indie scene.

Nieve Ella’s phenomenal vocal range is perfectly complemented by ‘Sugarcoated’s’ pulsating percussion and surging guitar melodies, which encompass the entire space. Ella expertly demonstrates her ability to blend the various components of her unique indie-pop sound with fierce choruses. ‘Sugarcoated‘ is her lyrical investigation of impostor syndrome and the tension between her real identity and her online image. Ella’s method of acknowledging her accomplishments in a brief period of time appears to be the persistent mantra of “looks like you’ve gone and made it.” ‘Sugarcoated’ is a celebration of all she has achieved, that Nieve Ella is ready to make the move from being a cult heroine to a true icon of the indie realm.

Nieve Ella skilfully strikes a balance between intensity and fun, weight and simplicity in the intensely felt track ‘The Things We Say.’ Her ability to combine standout choruses with more expansive components from her wider indie-pop palette is evident in this track too. Slanted guitar riffs and effervescent crash cymbals combine in ‘The Things We Say,’ creating a captivating background for her unique raspy vocals. It’s an extremely relatable track, the lyrics navigate the difficulties of a platonic fallout.

A beautiful piano based ballad, ‘The Reason‘ shifts the tempo of the EP. It’s a deeply emotional track, Nieve Ella putting her vulnerability on display for all to hear. Her vocals’ intense emotional quality is ideal for this song. The intense emotional rawness of this track will surely pull at listeners’ heartstrings. . Her phenomenal lyricism, which can be applied to nearly anything, no matter the situation, makes her an inspiration to all adolescent music fans. ‘The Reason‘ is a dynamic shift in tone for Nieve Ella, however she masterfully pulls it off, creating a gut wrenching ballad that many will relate too.

‘Ganni Top (She Gets What She Needs)’ has a light-hearted yet gritty pop-infused vibe. Nieve Ella offers a hedonistic viewpoint on beginning anew as she imagines the exciting adventures that lie ahead of her. In this playful, grunge-inspired homage to her newly discovered single status, she jokes, “You can fill me in the back of your limousine,” addressing the theme of feminine freedom. She’s one of the few up-and-coming artists who has such a strong sense of identity and such remarkable emotional control. She is a significant, influential figure in British indie music, reminding young people that their opinions are of value and should be taken sincerely.

‘Sweet Nothings‘ is a stunning indie love song that flawlessly captures the thrilling warmth of a burgeoning passion. The chorus ignites a fire within the track, Nieve Ella’s vocals set alight with deep desire, Fran Larkin and Finn Marlow’s supporting vocals harmonise to wonderfully accentuate Ella’s lead vocals. It conveys the intensity of being completely invested in someone, recalling every little interaction you’ve ever had. Imagining the thrilling time when you’re falling in love with someone fresh. This is Nieve Ella’s step into stardom, she makes adolescence easier to overcome through her lyrics, making her listeners feel understood.

Rhythmic guitar lines open ‘Stop Me!‘, Ella’s vocals easing a listener into the track before repetitive drum beats build up the tension between the instrumentation and lyrics. An athematic chorus elevates this track to the next level, it’s made for those arena crowds that Nieve Ella has recently had a taste of. What really grabs the attention of the listener is the instrumentation of this song; the deep bass tones and intense drumming saturate the entire soundscape.

‘Meet Me In The Middle‘ serves as the EP’s finale. It is ‘Watch It Ache And Bleed’s‘ response to ‘Lifetime Of Wanting‘.

“In another lifetime, this was always meant to be,” describes how Nieve Ella feels about her current situation, feeling that she has come full circle. Her persona has changed significantly from her last EP and she continues to gain trust as well as proficiency with each new release. Her lyrics, which convey relevant stories influenced by her personal life in a straightforward manner that readily resonates with her listeners, blend flawlessly with her charismatic vocals. The song has such a raw, passionate feel to it. It’s the ideal song to wrap up an phenomenal EP.

Nieve Ella is set to embark on a headline tour in February and March of 2025, in celebration of ‘Watch It Ache And Bleed’. Tickets are on sale now, and are available to buy through the link below.

Nieve Ella – Watch It Ache And Bleed 2025 Headline Tour 🫀 (ffm.to)