INTERVIEW

MIA: So you perform a lot; as you mentioned, what is your favourite thing about performing? 

NELL: Just being in a room with people who really care or trying to win over a crowd, like at a festival when no one really knows who you are. It's a thrill like no other. It's exciting. But I have that connection with the people that come to my shows. Usually, when I'm not on a shoot, I usually have all these bracelets they give me, and I love that aspect of it. Meeting people after shows is so important to me. I'm afraid to get to a point where I can't do that because it's so lovely. And I really do appreciate anything that, getting to meet as many people that want to meet me. It's iconic. It's my favourite. 

MIA: You've gone to loads of festivals and performed at festivals. You've even supported Florence & The Machine. Those are massive accomplishments, how were those experiences for you? 

NELL: You are so out of body supporting Florence or Dermot Kennedy, which was back-to-back-to-back. I can't explain what that week was like. There's so much adrenaline. You're so excited but you're also nervous. I do think that the nerves were completely overtaken by the adrenaline of it all. I couldn't believe it. I was so excited for my band and for my family to be there. It was so fun and so exciting. I get emotional, but I think the shows always come at a time when I needed something. 

MIA: It's quite a broad question. But what would you say is your favourite experience so far in your music journey? 

NELL: I think every single show. There's been a handful of shows where it's been stressful, or I've been in my head, and I haven't enjoyed that. I've been playing my whole life. I've been singing in choirs but actually being an artist… As soon as I tried my first tour, I remember thinking this has to happen.  

MIA: I mean, music is such an emotional thing for most people, whether they're making it or listening to it, what is it that you want people to mostly take away from your music? I know you said you write a lot about what about people or what people have done to you? What is it that you want people to listen to that and think about or feel? 

NELL: I think there's always some sort of thing that is resembling hope. I hope that all my songs are prophetic in some way. But with every single song, there's something, whether it's a guitar line that feels fresh air or something, even with the dark stuff, "Warm Body", which is quite dark for me. But there are some things that I pop in that brings it up. There's a line in it about my best friend, Emily, telling me to breathe. It’s nice listening to sad songs and feeling sad with them, but there's something even better about feeling so sad and then just the feeling, oh my god, it's actually okay. In all of these situations, it's essentially my experience but not a solo experience. 

MIA: That process from there to here has been huge. It's been an upwards trajectory. What would you say that has been something that's been scary in terms of handling being an uprising artist? 

NELL: There are definitely weeks where you are a little bit more stressed out. Or are there times when everything happens all at once? It's definitely overwhelming. I think that it's so fun getting to do it, even today. I wouldn't have ever thought I would ever do this as I was quite self-conscious. I can get stressed, but more often than not, I tend to my inner child.