'Sunday' is the second release from stunning vocalist, 17-year-old, Nyah Grace.
Nyah’s voice is the star of the show: rich, evocative, tender and sensual, it’s a remarkable gift for any artist, let alone one so young. This song has incredible production. It is simple and airy and lets her vocals and the piano to tell a beautiful story. This song is going to be on repeat for me.
Nyah grew up in Monmouth, Oregon to a family steeped in the farming tradition - although her great aunt was a hugely successful backing vocalist in the ‘70s, singing for Chic at their peak. Her parents had some interest in music (‘80s hits for her mum, old school rap for her dad), but her destiny was shaped when she began singing lessons as a child and her teacher encouraged her to try some jazz standards. She’s been hooked ever since.
As she summarises, “Music is something that I’ve always loved, it’s been so deeply ingrained in me since I was six. It’s my first and only passion.”
As Nyah grew older she discovered Lauryn Hill, D’Angelo and Estelle (who she recently covered on Instagram), artists whose neo-soul sound echoes the jazzy chord progressions of those early jazz icons. Nyah wanted to be a singer “but I didn’t think it was a rational dream” until her manager came on-board and introduced her to Steve Chrisanthou, the Grammy, Ivor Novello, BRIT and MOBO nominated producer/songwriter who’s best known for his work with Corinne Bailey Rae.
Nyah made several trips from Oregon to London (including The Dairy in Brixton with Michael Graves) and up to Chrisanthou’s studio in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire. The result is a growing songbook mixing neo-soul, R&B and jazz as she continues to work on her debut album. She even spent a “nerve-wracking” session with Corinne Bailey Rae - one that was all the more memorable as she recalls singing along to ‘Put Your Records On’ as a child.
nyahgrace.com
open.spotify.com/artist/1WfCU4DPKY0jvcqEWU34UK
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Review by Hannah Schneider