Life on the road is often romanticised for aspiring rockstars who dream of trashed hotel rooms, late night escapades with a pocket full of money and a head empty of dreams for they have spilled into reality. Some of these tales are in fact close to the truth, which Nancy shares with me on my podcast, but other times the most captivating music is born in silence, the silence we find within our mind.
Welcome to the Cabin in the Wood, a place that is often misunderstood, depicted by horror films as a deceiving shelter from the monsters until you find them within, actually becomes the retreat we seek providing the solace we need when it’s listed by Nancy on those days she needs a break from it all to find herself again.
Who is it we aim to find when becoming ourselves? Initially we have to be a the most appealing version of ourselves in order to be our most authentic selves. Nancy is currently finalising her 16th album and it is clear she has become the person she sought after, the person she was meant to be.
Her voice is heavy with talent and tales that fill out her songs so they become a beautiful if sometimes distressing narrative that always manage to move a listener. The pain of losing both her parents in the last year is deeply felt within some of her work especially her emotional ballad entitled ‘Once (Mama’s voice)
It is important to explore grief, reflect on dusty memories and flick through faded photographs. See where the pain takes you, see what you can do with it, honour those that you have lost in some way that helps you to heal.
Nancy also uses her voice as a medium of empowerment, a vehicle of defiance against people that have tried to shape her to their standards instead of embracing her as she is. With a powerful voice her song No More Second Chances is a feminist anthem reclaiming her own identity, which you can hear below or as part of our very special podcast episode which features multiple songs by Nancy including John the Baptist and 10 to 1.
Nancy has said that her “Songs are born from a restless longing, a desire for a sense of place and an urgency to discover what lies underneath” She believes “everyone has a story” it is her duty to give the narrative “a melody”. She writes songs about the circus, ghost, the need to care for our planet, the spirit of travel along with various types of relationships with different people. Her songs catalogue all emotions and imaginable experiences and really deserve to be heard.
Her musical inspiration/sounds are an amalgamation of front porch traditional, gospel, folk and hard rock but are ultimately her own sound, stemming from the story in her surroundings and her soul.
Evolve Music 