With Buckle & Boots 2019 looming on the new horizons, TEAMw21 though it might be a nice idea to check in with some of the artists that played there previously that are not part of the regular circuit and possibly slip under the radar. Step forward 18 year old Nia Nicholls who just so happens to have a new single forthcoming "Honestly I Tried" - when we heard this in the B&B Paddock Stage tent it made quite an impression even when it was performed to a backing track.
Following on from her earlier single last year there are already signs of great advances in her studio awareness. The backing this time round seems a little more polished, and Nia's delivery has a more assured feel to it. One thing that has not changed is Nia's ear for a great hook line, and an attention to detail in her lyrics that makes her stand out, take the opening lines:
"You talk mighty fast, some day you're bound to stumble upon your words
While telling some labyrinth of a story"or later
"and when good enough was never good enough for you
but I give up giving up for you".
Lyrically there is a refreshing honesty. almost analytical in the way she assesses a past liason, and finds the lies too much to overlook - the title nailing home the fact that it was a bridge too far. Once that bridge is crossed the lyrics turn to disdain.
"We had a love back then and it made me feel good when you said my name but these days I've never heard anything worse.
It is a little gem of a single and from our review of last year along with some recent additional research there promises to be much more forthcoming, marking Nia as someone to watch out for.
Honestly I Tried Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omK4qf22IGE
The earlier single that shamefully slipped us by was "Nervous", a great little pop song which comes with a hilarious video shot in Memphis, the local residents walking past nonchalantly while a British singer lip syncs her video in the middle of the road. There is a charming honesty about this single, it is based around a fairly simple premise explained in the opening lines
"You walk into a room like a rock star, everybody here knows who you are
You got stars in your eyes and i wish upon the same stars for you to be mine!"
However when he comes over and says hello the singer finds herself tongue tied and "Nervous".
There is a slightly cheap sounding drum track, and some of the words seem to be somewhat shoehorned in or have strange pauses such as the pause in skyscraper but it so endearing that you simply overlook all of that and enjoy the guitars and the fine pedal steel that drive this track along and delight in the quirky delivery provided by Nia that makes this such a success. For someone who claims to get "Nervous" this actually sounds pretty assured and should just be the start of something much bigger.
Nervous video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5tKjm-xW_U