London singer-songwriter NAO has returned with new music after a two-year wait proceeding her sophomore album ‘Saturn’. For the new single, entitled ‘Woman’, she has collaborated with fellow artist Lianne La Havas to create a beautiful track to empower and inspire listeners.
NAO first revealed the news last week in an Instagram post with the caption, “It’s been too long, it’s time to drop new music …. THIS MONTH.” On Sunday 23rd August, just a day before the release, she announced La Havas’ feature, the release date, and confirmed that the song would be premiered as Annie Mac’s Hottest Record in the World on BBC Radio 1 (currently covered by Clara Amfo).
In the interview, both La Havas and NAO discussed the song and its importance. “It kind of came together during the time of the Black lives matter movement, and obviously both me and Lianne being women of colour and being British as well, it felt like a really important song to release and talk about, empowerment. And especially as women of colour, celebrating ourselves and all we’ve done and how far we’ve come,” NAO explained.
Following on, La Havas said, “I think it’s important all the time to empower black women so I don’t mind that this has come out a little later in the year. I think it’s always a good message to be empowering women.”
Combining both NAO’s self-described ‘wonky funk’ sound and La Havas’ soulful guitar and vocals, the song has resonated with many, gaining 4,000 views on the music video in the first four hours. The video shows colourful, intricate animations and features both artists, to the absolute joy of their fans.
NAO has been creating music professionally and publicly as a singer, songwriter, and producer, since 2014, releasing her debut album ‘For All We Know’ in 2016, and sophomore, ‘Saturn’, in 2018. She has been nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Female Solo Artist, Album of the Year at the Mercury Prize, and Best Contemporary Album at the Grammy Awards.
La Havas wrote her first song at age 11, learning guitar when she was 18. Her first solo EP was released in 2011 after she signed with Warner Bros. Records the year before. ‘Lost and Found’ was the name of the EP, and La Havas went on to create another EP and three studio albums. Her debut album ‘Is Your Love Big Enough?’ won iTunes Album of the Year, followed by self-titled work released in 2020.
