London singer and producer Nenah (not that one) grew up in Stockholm via Ecuador. She thanks her mami y papi for raising her on a healthy and diverse musical diet of classic rock, disco, salsa, merengue, MJ and Madonna. “I didn’t venture much into pop save for Spice Girls,” she tells us over email. “So pop and R&B in all its diversity is something I discovered by myself later.” It was this more recent discovery that informed her own sound, which she describes as “alternative pop, or electronic pop with its own twist. I like to set a mood.”
Her debut single I’ll Be Fine, is an addictive self-produced bilingual pop tune about attraction. “It’s about knowing someone isn’t good for you,” she explains. “They haven’t got good intentions and you know it, but you still go full speed ahead with it. You end up hurt but you kind of knew it was coming, so you’re able to take yourself to a better place too.” Relatable, huh? And considering she’s only been making music for three years, it’s all very impressive.
Today we’re premiering the accompanying video — a lo-fi night drive interspersed with Chinatown dance routines, silky satin beauty shots and enough lipgloss to make kissing a perilous activity. Perfect! Welcome to Nenah’s world!
Hi Nenah! What’s your earliest music memory?
My earliest memory has to be either my dad singing Heartbreak Hotel constantly when I was little. Or the time that me and my sister learnt the lyrics to this Shakira song before her U.S. debut. It was superfast and all in Spanish.
Tell us about the video for I’ll Be Fine.
The video grew out of a trippy visual I wanted to create, like you’re high on somebody and stuck in that fake world but you’re kind of loving it and in denial. From the lyrics, we know that the character is gonna get better, so I wanted her to be her own heroine and save herself. Plus, I’m addicted to arcades so I had her fight some imaginary enemies as if they were her own.
All the best music videos have a dance routine, right?
Yes! I love choreographed music videos! I watch choreo on YouTube all the time. I choreographed this one myself and asked friends to get involved.
What’s the plan?
The plan going forward is more of everything! More music, more videos, more shows, more dancing! I’m only just getting started, and at the moment, I don’t know how to stop.
Catch Nenah live at London’s The Waiting Room tomorrow 6 September.