Nao (singer)
Nao | |
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Birth name | Neo Jessica Joshua |
Born |
December 1987 (age 29)[1] Nottingham, England |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | |
Instruments |
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Years active | 2014–present |
Labels |
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Associated acts |
Neo Jessica Joshua, better known as Nao (also stylised as NAO; /ˈneɪ.oʊ/[2]), is a British singer-songwriter and record producer from East London.[6][7] Her sound has been described as soul combined with electronic music, funk and R&B.[6] Nao coined the term "wonky funk" to describe her style.[8][9] She released her debut album, For All We Know, in 2016.
Music career
Neo Joshua was born in Nottingham but moved to East London as a young child. She studied vocal jazz at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London and went on to be a backing singer for artists such as Kwabs and Jarvis Cocker.[6][10] For six years up to 2014 she sang in an all-girl a cappella group called The Boxettes.[11][12] In October 2014 she released her first EP, So Good, it reached number 4 on the iTunes electronic chart and the title track made the BBC Radio 1 and BBC 1Xtra national playlists in the United Kingdom.[6][7][13] This was followed by a second EP, February 15 (II MMXV), in May 2015,[13] receiving the "Best New Music" tag from Pitchfork Media.
Nao played Glastonbury Festival in June 2015.[10] In September 2015 Nao was named as a nominee for best newcomer at the 2015 MOBO Awards.[14] Nao was a featured vocalist and writer on Disclosure's UK number 1 album, Caracal, on the track "Superego".[15] She was featured in the long list for the BBC Sound of...2016 prize in November 2015, ultimately being named in third place in January 2016.[16] Nao also featured as a co-writer on the track "Velvet / Jenny Francis (Interlude)" on Stormzy's debut album Gang Signs & Prayer.
Her debut album, For All We Know, was released on 29 July 2016, leading to a Brit Nomination for Best British Female Solo Artist.[9]
Discography
Studio albums
Title | Details | Peak chart positions | |
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UK [17] |
US Dance [18] | ||
For All We Know |
|
17 | 3 |
Extended plays
Title | Details |
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So Good |
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February 15 |
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For All We Know - The Remixes |
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Singles
Title | Year | Album |
---|---|---|
"So Good" | 2014 | So Good |
"Zillionaire" | February 15 | |
"Bad Blood"[19] | 2015 | For All We Know |
"Fool to Love" | 2016 | |
"Girlfriend" | ||
"In the Morning" | 2017 |
Guest appearances
Title | Year | Artist(s) | Album | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
"Firefly" (featuring NAO)[20] |
2015 | Mura Masa | Mura Masa | Featured vocalist |
"Make You Mine" | Kwabs | Love + War | Un-credited background vocalist, alongside Cass Lowe. | |
"Superego" (featuring NAO)[21] |
Disclosure | Caracal | Featured vocalist | |
Songwriting/Production Credits
Title | Year | Artist(s) | Album | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|
"Velvet / Jenny Francis (Interlude)" | 2017 | Stormzy | Gang Signs & Prayer | Co-writer |
"Nothing Else!" (featuring Jamie Lidell) |
Mura Masa | Mura Masa |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award-giving body | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | BBC Sound of... | Sound of 2016 | |
2017 | Brit Awards | Best British Female Solo Artist | Nominated |
References
- ↑ "Little Tokyo Recordings Limited". Companies House. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- 1 2 "A Moment With Nao, Soul Singer On The Verge". NPR. 13 August 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
- ↑ Beta, Andy (28 July 2016). "Meet Nao, Avant-R&B Star Moving From Back-Up Singer Shadows". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
- ↑ Myers, Owen. "Meet NAO, The Avant-Soul Artist Who's All About Good Vibes". The Fader. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
- ↑ Ganatra, Shilpa (29 July 2016). "Avant-soul sensation Nao moves the full 20ft closer to stardom". The Irish Times. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
- 1 2 3 4 "BBC Music Sound of...2016 - NAO". BBC. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
- 1 2 "NAO on itunes". Apple iTunes. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
- ↑ Mokoena, Tshepo (21 January 2016). "The sound of Nao: from teenage choir teacher to creator of 'wonky funk'". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
- 1 2 "British Singer NAO brings 'Wonky Funk' to life". University of Missouri–Kansas City. 12 April 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
- 1 2 "Glastonbury 2015". BBC Music. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
- ↑ "The Boxettes, Kings Place". The Arts Desk. 13 January 2012.
- ↑ "This All-Female Beatbox Group’s Awesome Rudimental Cover Is Anything But Basic". Huffignton Post. 15 August 2014.
- 1 2 "New band of the week: Nao". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
- ↑ "Grime and hip-hop artists JME and Krept And Konan dominate Mobo nominations". BBC Newsbeat. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
- ↑ "Caracal by Disclosure". Metacritic. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
- ↑ "BBC Music Sound of 2016 longlist - listen to the nominees". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
- ↑ "NAO | full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
- ↑ "Nao Album & Song Chart History – Billboard Top Dance/Electronic Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
- ↑ "Bad Blood - Single by NAO". iTunes (UK). Retrieved 10 January 2016.
- ↑ "Someday Somewhere by Mura Masa". iTunes (UK). Retrieved 10 January 2016.
- ↑ "Caracal by Disclosure". iTunes (US). Retrieved 10 January 2016.