Live Review: Nadia Nair – Birthdays, Dalston
Despite being relatively under the radar, Nadia Nair performed a stirring live set at Birthdays; with a spiritual and passionate stage presence and unearthly vocals.
The Gothenburg native is fast-becoming a hit in her hometown and her incredibly distinct sound is a telltale sign of her love for mixing a variety of genres. Nair performed her recent single Cleopatra – an atmospheric and beautifully layered track with heavy drumbeats and an equally heavy chorus.
She went on to perform Hardships – ethereal vocals and syncopated beats created a primitive atmosphere as the track reverberated through the tenebrous parameters of the basement venue. Nair expertly unites worldly sounds into her music and with tracks like Dear Brother combining Alicia Keys-esque vocals with sonically sharp sounds she proves herself as a resolute musician.
Blow –Nair’s most recent single followed. An upbeat track, which was preluded by an oration about smoking up love and purifying it. The track has a definitive sound, with echoes of India braided throughout it – tablas and a fleeting chorus create a powerful ethnic ambiance. Nair has said of the song: ‘it’s about letting go with passion – smoke it out.’
Nair’s multi-cultural background inspires her worldly sound– the half Swedish, half Malaysian-Indian singer performed Beautiful Poetry, a wonderfully dreamy track with an empowering chorus. Her set ended on Something Something Something – a celestial song with weightless vocals and achingly beautiful lyrics – it is a testament to Nair’s flair as a storyteller.
Nadia Nair transcends all musical frontiers and her music is a striking amalgamation of genres and sonic sounds. Nair’s free-spirited disposition and readiness to experiment with music makes her a promising musician and one to watch.
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