Q&A: NIEVE ELLA REFLECTS ON HER TEENAGE YEARS IN “YOUNG & NAIVE”
A LOT CAN CHANGE IN THE COURSE OF A YEAR — and that’s the beauty of life: finding meaning in a specific moment of time and choosing to grow from those hard parts. In Nieve Ella’s new EP, Young & Naive, she does just that and so much more. Ella allows herself to walk back into her past and find meaning in it. Her goal: sitting down with her younger self so that she can truly heal in the present. Beautifully mixed with an array of profound lyrics, subdued verses, and emotionally raw storytelling, this debut gets real about life, growing up, letting go, and finding a way forward amidst the twists and turns of life changes.
By turning back the clock and traversing through an old era of her life, Ella is able to redirect her mental focus inward and find effective tools to help her finally fill in the plot holes of her difficult upbringing. Through five personal songs, she pieces together her early life experiences and brings us into a bittersweet universe of love and loss. Delicately colored with the subtle grays of disappointment and confusion, as Ella reflects on her life, she stands up for her feelings and her happiness this time around.
At the center of the cinematic tracklist is her refusal to stop growing through her pain. Song after song, Ella continues to identify the silver lining in her memories and shows up to comfort herself. Despite the obstacles of strained relationships, anxiety, and fixation in her path, she never stops practicing resilience so that she might move toward her long-awaited dreams and live in her truth.
Above all, Ella touches on the things that are hard to let go of, walk away from, and resist, and even so doesn’t back down — she makes the decision to move through them anyway. Played to the tune of nostalgic ’90s guitar pop and recorded with the undertone of an ethereal production, Ella brings us up-to-date with the past, all while inviting us to hop on her journey of growth and join her in her next chapter.
Stream Young & Naive wherever you get your music, and read the interview with Ella below as we get to know the human behind the songs.
LUNA: Congrats on your new EP! Can you take us through each of your songs and tell us a bit more about them and what they mean to you?
ELLA: Yeah, of course! The first one on the EP is “19 in a Week.” I wrote it in a way where it felt like it was a step behind all of the other songs. I was turning 19 and still feeling like a kid. I'd never been in love and all that stuff. Growing up and turning 19 and being in that last year of being a teenager, I was having a crisis where I was like, “I haven't done anything that a normal teenager would do. Like, what the hell?” And then there is “Blu Shirt Boy,” and I did it in the order of a story in my head where I met this boy, and when I started writing that I was like, “Let me make a story about Harry Styles.” I had this massive obsession with him at the time and I was like, “If nobody's gonna like me, let's just make it about Harry,” so that's what I did. I wrote it and pretended it was him so I could romanticize it. That's actually what that's about: me just wanting attention from somebody that I liked and they didn't like me back.
After comes “Fall 4 U,” which is basically saying I've fallen for you but you don't like me and you're just like every other person that has not treated me very nicely. Next is “Girlfriend,” which is now me realizing that this person is like this because they actually had another partner. In my brain it's like a movie. And the last track is “Glasshouses,” but it has a different direction and I just felt like it needed to be in there. It’s not even about a romantic partner because I wrote it about me and my dad and how when I lost my dad I didn't really grieve for him. But in that stage of life, with being rejected and all that stuff, I just wanted to be a teenager that lived a cool life. I was like, “I don't live a cool life, so I'm gonna write about it,” and that was literally it. I thought, “Well, that's just a nice little addition,” you know, it's not even like sugar on top — it's like a kind of salt on top. But yeah, I thought it would be a nice little top-off, and I'm very happy the way it is because in my head it's like my own little movie.
LUNA: That’s absolutely sweet! I have to ask, of the five stellar songs on the debut’s tracklist, which one would you say resonates with you the most at this current stage of life you're living in?
ELLA: I feel like I don't want to resonate with any of them. I wish I could, but I really don't because the songs to me are parts of my life that I’ve grown from so much. There's not a single part of any song that I even want to kind of relate to. Obviously “Glasshouses” is so personal to me, but that was a stage where I was grieving. I've kind of grieved all of the songs at this point because it literally was a heartbreak for me. So even though it wasn’t about death, to me heartbreak with a partner — or with anything romantic — hurts as much as losing somebody physically.
LUNA: We're here for growth and new beginnings and letting go. That's such an adult thing to do, and that's not easy. Definitely want to validate you there — that makes total sense. Since the release centers around the theme of growing up — especially now that you're this amazing adult — what would you say has changed in your POV as an artist and human since first recording these songs?
ELLA: I think it’s a sense of feeling more in control. I remember recording these songs and I was like, “Oh my god, I don't know what this is gonna cause because nobody's ever heard my thoughts before,” and I felt it could go one way or another, but I was gonna release them. I didn't know they were gonna be on the EP — I just recorded them as demos because that's what I wanted to do, and then, yeah, I think it's about feeling so in control … like, “I can just release anything I want now.” It’s the whole, “I don't need to worry about what people think or what's gonna happen.” If people think of me differently because maybe I've spoken about them in a song and they know that I've spoken about them, I was so worried that I'd have so much anxiety about it. But now I literally don't care in the nicest way possible, and it’s poetry to me — songs and feelings and words need to be heard, and it’s so important.
LUNA: Definitely, and it sounds so freeing. To get to that point takes a lot of hard work. Thanks for giving us a little bit of that insight because no one knows what they don't know. Since you're someone who I know loves to live life to its fullest with no regrets, I'm curious: What were the last things you did as a teen before you officially became this incredible 20-something young person that you are today?
ELLA: On my 19th, I didn't actually expect myself to be living my life because, going back to “19 in a Week,” I didn't live the life that I wanted. I was kind of just sitting in my room and doing nothing. Then I had an opportunity to actually go live my life with the music stuff, so playing live is literally all I remember of being 19. Like, just playing these incredible shows of my best friends’ and being able to form connections — that's literally all I did in the past year, and I wouldn't change it ’cause it was so fun.
LUNA: I love that “music stuff” has taken you this far and is giving you this new life. It seems like a really healing and beautiful place to be in. I'm going to pivot a tad here because it's one of the coolest things I've seen an artist do in a long while: I have to know, how did the idea of that Young & Naive starter pack come about?
ELLA: It’s actually really random because I was doing a shoot for a press shot and me and my manager were talking to some of my team. I can't really remember what happened but I remember when I was in high school, maybe the third year, there were these starter pack memes that went around and everybody just wrote to each other. I really wanted somebody to do a starter pack for me. So this girl in my year did [one] for me and I remember getting really hurt about it because … somebody put on mine like a photo of McDonald's and a hair straightener, because my hair was dead because I used to straighten my hair all the time. And then it had Vans because they were all I used to wear. I got really hurt by [this starter pack] because I was thinking, “Do you think my hair looks that bad? Or do you think I don't eat healthily?” I was so offended by it, and I was telling my manager about it and then he said, “Nieve, what if we make a starter pack for you?” And I was like, “Oh my god,” because you hear people saying, “I wanna be you when I grow up” and they're not actually being serious. I was like, “Well, if you wanna be me, why don’t you just get a starter pack of me?” Anything for the pre-save, you know.
LUNA: That last line about the pre-save sounds like a single title. Just putting that out there. On the note of your creativity, how would you describe your music to someone who doesn't know what music is?
ELLA: If I were to describe it, it would be that feeling you get in your chest when you've been rejected, or it's kind of like when the air gets knocked out of your lungs. And then you release that by having a conversation where someone asks you, “How do you feel?” and you tell them all about it and you feel so good. After sharing, you feel like the weights come off your shoulders. When I was recording it and I heard the final project, that's how I felt — a weight off my chest [with] everything that I wanted to say being out there.
LUNA: That was a special moment. Moving around here a little bit, we talked earlier about how you started living the life you wanted, performing with your best friends and doing live show after live show. Speaking of these performances, what was your reaction when you found out you were going to be performing at one of your dream venues, the O2 Institute Birmingham?
ELLA: I literally remember that I needed to tell my band because they are my best friends. When I first found out, I remember texting back and being like, “This is not real,” like, “What the hell, you don't understand how big it is for me.” I'm the type of person who will cry at anything that makes me excited. My eyes will just start watering, and so I texted the group chat straight away, “You’re not gonna believe this” because I remember going to loads of shows after COVID with my drummer, Matt — we went to [the O2]. We watched beabadoobee and Declan McKenna, and I remember looking at the stage and we were like, “Imagine one day if we were up there,” and at that time we weren't even in the band together because I didn't know that I was gonna be released last year. So yeah, it was so surreal. Now even thinking about it I can remember standing up there being like, “This isn't even the stage that I was looking at before. It doesn't didn't feel like it.” And I just can’t believe it — it feels like a dream, and I remember having so many nightmares literally every night for two weeks before, of me messing up. I was not okay.
LUNA: Nightmares can be rough — sounds like you really wanted things to work out, and that’s understandable! A little more on dreams coming true: If you were sitting in a recording studio with your musical icon, Sam Fender, and he asked you to give an overview of your debut EP, how would you summarize it to him? Let's imagine he was blown away by your description and asked to be on a re-recorded track. What song would you choose to sing a duet with him on, and why?
ELLA: Okay, this is perfect for me because I’ve thought this all down to a science. So first of all, I'd say to him, “This EP is literally everything you've ever done. Into one thing.” And that would be it! Literally, that's all I'd say to him. I don't need to explain [it any more than that] … and then he's blown away. He's like, “Wow, this is actually incredible — that was the best description ever.” And then I'd say, “Well, you should actually come on my track called ‘Girlfriend’ because it was actually inspired by your song ‘Get You Down,’” I feel like it will be the perfect song for him to come on. It needs to happen.
LUNA: Maybe Sam will see this interview and call you up!
ELLA: This is an invitation! I'm in, if you're Sam. Hit me up!
LUNA: Yeah, Sam, if you're reading this … hit Nieve up. Internet, do your thing! On the note of musical talent, since you first picked up your guitar in 2020, what has been your most memorable playing experience to date, and how did the guitar fit into the process of recording your debut?
ELLA: For some reason, right now I'm only remembering the bad experiences.
LUNA: That's perfect — that's so real, and we’re here for it!
ELLA: When I was playing the O2 show the other week, I was like, “This is gonna be the best show of my life,” like, “I'm gonna use the guitar that I first learned on and this is gonna be amazing.” So I went on stage and I was like, “Okay, here we go” … I didn't even tune my guitar because I was just so mesmerized by everything in front of me. I started playing the song, and I was like, This … doesn't sound right … Okay, we'll just wait until the next song and I'll try tuning it.” I tried to tune my guitar and my top E string was not tuning, and I had my TM in my ear being like, “Nieve, tune your guitar. Please take your time, but tune the guitar,” and I was like, “I'm trying to tune it!”
I was literally on the second song and it would not tune, so I just played it. It still [didn’t] sound right so I was like, “Okay, now this is my time to shine on singing ‘Glasshouses,’” and it was just me on my own, and I thought, “What the hell am I gonna do?” I'm just standing there telling everybody how bad my guitar is, being like, “Guys, I'm so sorry, but it's just not tuning,” so I just decided to play the song with the highest strings. And basically I just played the same chords the whole time and there was no change, so it actually sounded all the same. But I spoke to people after [and] they were like, “No, it was actually fine,” like, “We were just listening to your voice,” but to me that sticks out in my brain forever — like, it can't happen again.
LUNA: There’s something really vulnerable and human about that — thanks for sharing. I have to ask: How did the guitar also feature into your new EP?
ELLA: I wrote all my songs on the EP with my guitar, and it was just me on my bed. Before that, I was at college doing music but all of my teachers and people around me were so much better than me and they would tell me that my guitar was a prop because I couldn't actually play it. So then I was like, I need to actually prove to them that I can play it, so I dropped out of college and started actually doing this by myself in my room, and I worked so hard on it and I wrote these songs and recorded them. It wasn't just me recording them, but I did record the main guitars on the tracks. I thought that was a big achievement, actually. I've never actually thought about that, but yeah, I’m proud of myself.
LUNA: Wow, a self-made woman — we love to see it! It’s our empowerment for 8:00 a.m. over here in California. I’m curious — you've had such a neat journey so far, what would you say to younger Nieve if she came to you for life advice today? How would you go about comforting her so she feels seen, respected, and heard?
ELLA: I feel like I'd sit out on my bed with her guitar and tell her to say how you feel without worrying about being too modest. Don't hold it in because as a kid I was very shy, and I didn't tell people how I felt and I didn't want to be a problem for anybody. But yeah, I’m very grateful for everything that's happened and I wouldn't change anything. But I feel like being more spoken is so important.Especially with songs — letting out your feelings and saying how you feel [is important] because that's what it is. That's the beauty of songwriting.
LUNA: What an awesome message, and I think young Neve is sitting there smiling and feeling hugged right now. Going off that, what are some expectations that you grew up with that you're letting go of right now as an adult? How does this translate into your new music?
ELLA: Yeah, a big thing for me was not being liked by everybody growing up. Listening to music and music being in my life, I realized that it is so subjective. Not everybody is going to like the music, and that’s exactly like not being liked by everybody. Growing up, I took everything so personally, but it's not about that. It's not about being liked by everybody — it's about resonating with what you've got and the people around you. That’s what I live by now: just being you, and if nobody likes it then it doesn't matter. It really doesn't matter.
LUNA: Yeah, living your truth is so important no matter what other people think! If you had to choose, who would you say are your top artists at the moment, and how do they impact your sound?
ELLA: I’m the type of person who gets obsessed with the same people, but recently I've not been doing it. I’ve been listening to a lot of Julia Jacklin. I was in the car with my friend and she put her on and I was like, “Who is this woman? This is incredible. This is exactly what I listen to.” She's kind of like Sam Fender to me. Anything that's got that cool tuning of the guitar that hits your chest, that's what I love. I feel like the way she speaks about stuff is so raw, and she talks about heartbreak in a completely different way than I've ever listened to. It's inspiring, so she's definitely my number one right now. But obviously Same Fender is always the top artist in my heart.
LUNA: As he should be! Here’s a fun one I snuck in for you: Let’s say another Twilight movie is coming out and they ask you to sample one of the original songs to make a new track for the film. Which OG song are you sampling, and what is its vibe?
ELLA: Hands down, “Roslyn” by Bon Iver. I knew that song because of Twilight — like, I didn't know because of Bon Iver. Now people are like, “Yeah, I listen to Bon Iver,” I’m like, “Well, no, isn't that song from Twilight?” So yeah, definitely Bon Iver. I wish that song was mine — it is the most heart-wrenching, beautiful thing to even point into Twilight. Oh, don't even get me on that ’cause I literally talk about that for bloody ages!
LUNA: Love that! So if you could give a title for your reimagined song, what would it be?
NIEVE ELLA: I feel like it needs to be very Team Edward. Before even knowing Team Edward was a thing, I was team Edward. I feel like I should call it… not “Edward,” but I feel like I'd call it “Eddie,” or something that, like, Taylor Swift would definitely call a song. “Eddie” would be cool, right? I feel like “Eddie.”
LUNA: I definitely would stream that song! Also, Team Edward right here. Next up, since I literally can't stop thinking about it, I have to ask: You had an almost pre-release party when you got the surprise of a lifetime. What was it like seeing Taylor Swift perform live at The 1975 show in London?
ELLA: I actually had a session booked for the day after. I ended up not being able to go to that because I lost my voice, and that wasn't just because I was screaming The 1975 at the top of my lungs. I know “95,” but I don't know every word, you know. But when she came out, I was like “What? This was never supposed to happen,” like I did not prepare for that feeling. I got a video on my phone and I was actually screaming. I don't know, she's literally not real to me — she’s, like, pixels. I never thought I'd be able to see her in my entire life because she’s the biggest pop star in the whole entire world. I'm so grateful that I even got to be there.
LUNA: That’s incredible. I would not have been okay after that.
ELLA: Right? My boyfriend was there with me and he was so confused by my reaction. I was going wild because Taylor Swift was my childhood. And when she was there wearing this dress that Hannah Montana definitely wore back in the day, I was like, “This is exactly what I've always wanted,” but I never thought it would be possible.
LUNA: I am beyond happy for you. You deserve to have your Swiftie moment. Closing out here, you know how to make important statements with your art. In your personal life, are there any causes you support? If so, how can others get involved and advocate for them too?
ELLA: There's a charity called Shelter Charity and it's for people who are homeless, need somewhere to stay for the night, or are in a vulnerable situation. I believe that there should be more of that sort of support in the UK because literally anywhere you walk through the cities people are busking on the street for their life, especially in Birmingham, the nearest city where I live. It’s such an important charity that needs to be spoken about more. People can go on its website and donate or volunteer for a night. Maybe it's helping with food or something. You know, anything simple, just to help them out a little bit. But yeah, I hope people do that.
LUNA: Thank you for sharing that with everyone. We’re getting to the end here, so I want to ask you, what’s the question you wish more interviewers asked you in interviews? And if you have a question, what’s your answer to it?
ELLA: I feel like it's a very simple thing, but I’d like to be asked, “Why do you do music?” That question to me is what I wanna be asked all the time because I wouldn't be sitting here if it wasn't for it. It's so important to me. The reason why I started is because of my dad. I wouldn't be here today if he didn't hand me his guitar. I literally wouldn't be doing anything if it wasn't for him. The story behind that is so important to me and needs to be celebrated. So maybe you start music for fun, but there's always something behind it that's so special that just needs to be asked more.
LUNA: That’s beautiful, glad you added that. For the last one, here’s a little treat: A proud pet parent of an adorable pip, which song off your EP do you think your dog likes the most?
NIEVE ELLA: Love that! Definitely “Glasshouses,” of course. My dog is very caring, and if there's a noise that is louder than just a bit of strumming he will jump up on me. He will think it's a party and start dancing around.
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