Christchurch based singer-songwriter Nadia Reed has just released her debut EP Letters I Wrote But Never Sent. She describes her sound as ‘new folk’ and has appeared with a variety of local and international in her short career acts such as The Bats, Tiny Vipers (US), The Eastern, Tono, Jaime Regan (UK), Matt Langley, and Von Klap. Now on a headline tour of her own to celebrate the release of the EP, we caught up with Nadia for quick chat….
Congratulation of the release of your EP, how do you feel about it?
I’m feeling great about the EP and the way it turned out. I was so lucky to have worked alongside such great people such as Ben Edwards of The Sitting Room, Tim Moore who is a fantastic songwriter and plays in Von Klap, Mike Fordham who is now Von Klaps's newest member and Simon Gregory who plays in The Devilish Mary's. I am very ready to release this thing!
What was your recording experience like?
We recorded the EP in about 3 days. Initially when I went into the studio I wasn't really sure what to expect. This was my first time recording but it was a very enjoyable experience.
What kind of vibe did you want the record to have?
I wanted the record to almost sum me up as an artist so far but also not give too much away. I know this sound isn't necessarily the one I will stick with but it’s the sound we ended up creating.
Time for the cliché question - who are your musical influences?
I've listened to a lot of Jolie Holland, Tracey Chapman, Rufus Wainwright, and most recently Laura Marling.
When did you connect with your fellow band members and how involved were they in the writing and recording process?
I met Ben Eldridge through another project (Random Acts of God & Other Stories) we became friends and then I asked him if he'd like to play in band for this project and he said yes! Joe (McCallum) and Rich (Densem) became involved through Ben. They will be playing with my on the Christchurch & Dunedin shows. They are amazing to play with.
How does your material translate into a live set?
I have been practicing with the band and have a bunch of new songs to play along the way!
What is the best show you have ever been to?
I really enjoyed watching Sia at this year’s Big Day Out.
What’s the music scene like in Chch post-quake?
It's alive! There are lots of great things happening. My friends have just opened up a bar called The Darkroom and it's fantastic! Dux Live is opening soon and The Brewery has been putting on shows every weekend for months. The shows are generally free too so bands are paid guarantees which I think is a system that works really well down here.
