For someone who’s only 20, British singer Kate Nash seems to have a firm understanding about complexities of relationships. That is true on the aptly-titled “Dickhead,” a soulful song in which the narrator takes aim at her boorish boyfriend: “I wish that you were more intelligent/So you could see that what you are doing/Is so shitty to me.”
It is her catchy melodies and direct lyrics that explain Nash’s rapid success. A star in her native U.K. in a relatively short amount of time, she has already released her full-length album, Made of Bricks, which shot up to No. 1 on the British charts this past summer, and the single “Foundations,” about a relationship that’s on the rocks, became a huge Top 10 hit. In addition to getting tons of attention in major British publications such as The Guardian and NME, she was recently picked by Rolling Stone as one of its “10 Artists to Watch.” Having already played at some of the U.K. music festivals, including Glastonbury and T in the Park, Nash is coming to the States for a short tour, and her appearance at the Bowery Ballroom sold out quickly.
Kate Nash’s story is one of those simple tales that make other wannabe stars jealous. She’s from Harrow, a suburb in the outer part of London. Initially pursuing an acting career back in 2006, Nash received a rejection letter for a spot at the renowned Bristol Old Vic Theater School. She later broke her foot after falling down the stairs at her home and, while recuperating, Nash resumed writing her songs with a guitar her parents had bought for her. She started performing at the pubs and her recordings got attention on MySpace. After releasing the indie single “Caroline’s A Victim,” Nash landed a record deal with the Fiction/Geffen record label.
She is part of that new crop of young British singers—including Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen—that sing with a soulful English accent while incorporating pop, R&B and dance. But in contrast to Winehouse and Allen, who are often mentioned in the tabloids for things other than their music, Nash has a rather clean-cut and wholesome girl-next-door persona. Now that those British divas have already gotten buzz in America, Nash is poised to follow in their footsteps with the American release of Made of Bricks on Jan. 8.
Nash’s latest is undeniably a pop record, but a rare one with substance. Unlike some of our young American pop starlets, she expresses the angst of being a young woman with far more genuine candor and maturity in areas of romantic longing (“Pumpkin Soup”), heartbreak (“We Get On”) and independence (the “Merry Happy”). A few songs on the album are clearly targeted for radio airplay—the dance-happy “Shit Song” would be a no-brainer save for the title—although Nash’s keyboard and acoustic guitar playing brings something organic to her material. And while some of the material sounds quite poppy and upbeat, there’s no denying the poignancy of her ballads such as “Nicest Thing” and the folkish love song “Birds.”
It remains uncertain whether Nash has the ability to duplicate her smash success here. Her music, however, has enough appeal for American audiences yearning for gimmick- and slick-free pop music.
January 9, Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St. (betw. Bowery and Chrystie St.); 212-533-2111; 7, SOLD OUT.
It is her catchy melodies and direct lyrics that explain Nash’s rapid success. A star in her native U.K. in a relatively short amount of time, she has already released her full-length album, Made of Bricks, which shot up to No. 1 on the British charts this past summer, and the single “Foundations,” about a relationship that’s on the rocks, became a huge Top 10 hit. In addition to getting tons of attention in major British publications such as The Guardian and NME, she was recently picked by Rolling Stone as one of its “10 Artists to Watch.” Having already played at some of the U.K. music festivals, including Glastonbury and T in the Park, Nash is coming to the States for a short tour, and her appearance at the Bowery Ballroom sold out quickly.
Kate Nash’s story is one of those simple tales that make other wannabe stars jealous. She’s from Harrow, a suburb in the outer part of London. Initially pursuing an acting career back in 2006, Nash received a rejection letter for a spot at the renowned Bristol Old Vic Theater School. She later broke her foot after falling down the stairs at her home and, while recuperating, Nash resumed writing her songs with a guitar her parents had bought for her. She started performing at the pubs and her recordings got attention on MySpace. After releasing the indie single “Caroline’s A Victim,” Nash landed a record deal with the Fiction/Geffen record label.
She is part of that new crop of young British singers—including Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen—that sing with a soulful English accent while incorporating pop, R&B and dance. But in contrast to Winehouse and Allen, who are often mentioned in the tabloids for things other than their music, Nash has a rather clean-cut and wholesome girl-next-door persona. Now that those British divas have already gotten buzz in America, Nash is poised to follow in their footsteps with the American release of Made of Bricks on Jan. 8.
Nash’s latest is undeniably a pop record, but a rare one with substance. Unlike some of our young American pop starlets, she expresses the angst of being a young woman with far more genuine candor and maturity in areas of romantic longing (“Pumpkin Soup”), heartbreak (“We Get On”) and independence (the “Merry Happy”). A few songs on the album are clearly targeted for radio airplay—the dance-happy “Shit Song” would be a no-brainer save for the title—although Nash’s keyboard and acoustic guitar playing brings something organic to her material. And while some of the material sounds quite poppy and upbeat, there’s no denying the poignancy of her ballads such as “Nicest Thing” and the folkish love song “Birds.”
It remains uncertain whether Nash has the ability to duplicate her smash success here. Her music, however, has enough appeal for American audiences yearning for gimmick- and slick-free pop music.
January 9, Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St. (betw. Bowery and Chrystie St.); 212-533-2111; 7, SOLD OUT.
