West Midlands-based indie-pop fusionist Nieve Ella is ready to hit the road again for her sold-out ‘Lifetime of Wanting’ UK and EU tour. Now signed with AWAL Recordings, the 21-year-old singer-songwriter is quickly finding her feet in an already crowded genre, a testament to her raw talent and songwriting abilities.
Born in Shropshire, Nieve Ella first began to make a name for herself after recording and posting covers and original tunes online during the COVID:19 pandemic. She took to learning guitar and began to dabble in songwriting, effortlessly weaving a tapestry of emotional, angsty ballads from her lockdown bedroom.
At just 19 years old, Nieve eventually burst on to the scene in 2022 with her debut single ‘Girlfriend’, a gutsy, confrontational track calling out an ex-lover. The single delves into a toxic love triangle fractured with lying and cheating, causing her to empathise and team up with the ‘girlfriend’ in question, making it the ultimate ‘girl’s girl’ anthem. The track inevitably got picked up by BBC Radio 1’s Greg James, going on to receive generous radio play nationwide and major Spotify playlist features.
2023 saw the release of her debut EP ‘Young & Naïve’, a patchwork of all-too-relatable tales of youth, heartbreak, and longing, but also destructive, painful relationships, and how that pain so often feels irreversible. There is a clear sense of wanting or needing to be older, and to be treated as such.
Since then, her artistry has risen to dizzying new heights after successfully nabbing support slots for Irish indie-rock band Inhaler on their UK tour and British pop singer Dylan on her European stint, as well as knockout 30-minute sets performed at Glastonbury and Reading & Leeds Festival.
Last year also saw the release of her second and most impressive project to date, ‘Lifetime of Wanting’. The EP navigates the transition from teens into early twenties and explores a number of different interiors and everyday spaces, such as ‘Your Room’, ‘Big House’, ‘His Sofa’, ‘Glasshouses’ and ‘Car Park’, all of which relive specific memories and events rich with sentiment.
Each space comes with its own set of emotional paraphernalia; twisted sheets, hiding spots on staircases and flashbacks of dancing to Phoebe Bridgers across an ex’s bedroom floor; all poignant moments that are sewn into the very fabric of her being. With textured lyrics and honest storytelling, Nieve continues to let her heart bleed out on to her ribbon-clad sleeve.
Ready to dazzle live crowds once again, the singer songwriter will be accompanied by her best friends turned bandmates, Finn Marlow (guitar), Matt Garnett (drums), and Fran Larkin (bass).
Those lucky enough to have swiped a ticket will be able to catch her in February in London, Manchester, Glasgow, and Birmingham, with support from Stevie Bill and Siobhán Winifred. The singer is also quietly building a small but loyal fanbase across the channel, with shows set to take place in Cologne, Amsterdam and Paris in April.
With a promising year ahead, Nieve Ella is finally stepping into her light, a sign that it’s all beginning to sink in for this rising UK star.
UK shows
08/02/2024 – London – Omeara
09/02 – Manchester – Gorilla
10/02 – Glasgow – King Tut’s
12/02 – Birmingham – O2 Institute3
14/02 – Birmingham – O2 Institute3
16/02 – London – Omeara
EU shows
19/04 – Cologne – Yuca
20/04 – Amsterdam – Paradiso
22/04 – Paris – Les Etoiles Theatre
