We are absolutely honoured to bring you a first listen to the new single from Naarm based, Ngambri (Canberra) born songwriter and musician Nina Leo, as well as the immersive video for the track.
Leo (named after her middle name and star sign) has produced something that has a visceral and raw edge, a cotton wool vocal delivery wrapped in barbed-wire that prowls like a caged tiger – a slow burning fuse that explodes into something anthemic and statuesque. Her delivery has the force and impact of singers like P.J. Harvey or Sharon Van Etten with a cinematic production. Leo says of the track:
I always write songs based on real-life experiences. It feels natural for me to incorporate music
with how I’m feeling. It’s how I process and heal from everything. The best therapy I could ever ask for.
This cathartic element flows into her vocals that are carried high on a percussive slam with scything guitars and an ambulant synth sound, before the song faces in a slightly discordant tangle. Ostensibly the song is about romantic devotion:
If I was the sun, I’d shine all my light on you
I’ll try my best to make it comfortable for you
Ignore the glare, I was wanting to give you my all
Feel like a burden when you make sure
I’m not in your blind spot
Despite this rosy hue, Leo undercuts the devotion with a cry of individualism, identity and defiance:
If I could change, I swear I would
But we both know, you never could
If I could change, I swear I would
But I would change for me and not you
The accompanying video mirrors the ominous instrumentation – close up almost claustrophobic shots of an enigmatic leather-jacketed Leo prowling the nighttime urban environment, bleak and raw – an emotional journey that provides a wider horizon in the uplifting chorus. It was directed by cinematographer Anthony Bowler, and takes you on a journey inside three different universes, and the visual manifestation of ‘when one door closes, another one opens’. Each one is a different stage of healing, from the depths of the turmoil to the present, portrayed through a disrupted narrative to express the nonlinear but possible nature of it all. Bowler says:
Taking inspiration from old grunge clips from the 00’s and also referencing current pop
culture, Blind Spot is a journey of being stuck in parallels and having the courage to step out of the lines to create a new path.
This is immersive, pulse quickening stuff from a prestigious talent:
‘Blind Spot’ is an exciting indication of the depths of talent Leo has: a songwriting prowess that has a white-laced opulence framed by a darker gothic hue. ‘Blind Spot’ is unleashed to the public on 1 August 2024 and will be available to download and stream through all the usual sites and here.
Feature Photograph: Emily Leseberg
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