SINGLE REVIEW: NEEVE ZAHRA - EMPTY HEART
- CHRIS FARLIE
- 19 minutes ago
- 3 min read
When Neeve Zahra burst onto our radar with her stunning debut EP "Country Kind Of Love", she displayed a talent for writing and delivery far beyond her age. Her intervening singles have seen her slightly genre hop with equal aplomb but always with a nod towards her Americana roots. Her new single "Empty Heart" makes no such deviations and is stone cold Nashville. To a degree anyone can sing a song, but few can pull you into their world for three and a half minutes and grab your undivided attention - Neeve is one such performer.
From the pedal steel opening, through the brush percussion and relaxed guitar refrains, to her opening plaintive vocals there is clearly something special happening.
The opening verse tells of someone in turmoil, potentially disheartened by previous encounters, which seems to only increase the chances of future disappointment.
"My head and my heart are fighting again
Before it all starts I know how it ends
I'm traveling on a road til morning
Playing old love songs but playing pretend"
The pre chorus only further enforces the internal wrangling going on. Neeve somehow lets her vocals linger over each word, only emphasising more that she does not want to be heading in this direction.
"Seems like home’s so far away, I’m not going
It seems like all the signs are pointing somewhere I don’t wanna go"
Neeve uses the chorus to great effect, blurring the lines between an automobile and her own life.
"All of the flashing lights
All of the warning signs
All of the roads that go nowhere
Chasing the broken lights
Chasing the endless nights
Chasing a love I thought was there
Fill up the tank it only goes so far
Can’t fill my empty heart"
The final two words of the chorus are worth the price of admission alone as Neeve, elongates and flutters her vocal over the word heart, to heartbreaking effect.
The second verse is magnificent for a couple of reasons, the first being the knowing realisation of history repeating itself, the second is how Neeve seamlessly joins into the pre chorus.
"Pour me a drink I know how this goes
You’ve got a few on me
Play me a song I don’t already know
That doesn’t make me feel ..."
The chorus second time round is lyrically totally different but still as powerful, if not more so for the powerful picture it paints
"All of the flashing lights
All of the warning signs
All of the bars across this town
Chasing another shot
Chasing the love I lost
Chasing a high that lets me down
Fill up that glass
The same boy a different bar
To fill my empty heart"
Neeve once more neatly takes us to the bridge of the song tying a number of themes together
"They say love can lift you up
Or it can let you down
When you never thought it could
Maybe you’re the one
Maybe I got it wrong"
The final chorus brings a ray of hope,completing the journey, there is a lift in the style of delivery
"All of the flashing lights
All of the warning signs
All of the roads I’ve left behind
Chasing another path
Chasing a love that lasts
Chasing something beyond tonight
Fill up the tank and leave before it starts
Fill up the glass and leave you at the bar
To fill my empty heart"
It is the road to recovery from a break up, detailed stage by stage and perfectly set to music. With promise of a second EP in 2026, there has never been a better time to dive aboard the Neeve Zahra express.
For those in London - Tuesday 24th March sees a rare and intimate London show at The Green Note Basement
