Saturn Return is the astrological concept that the planet returns to the same spot in the sky it was when a person was born, roughly taking 29 years but having its strongest influence in its 27th year. This full rotation is believed to mark the start of adulthood in a person’s life and on her second album Saturn, which was released in October last year, Nao takes this planet-centric belief system into soulful and beat-led songs that narrate the trials and tribulations of being in your 20s.
Nao’s debut 2016 album For All We Know is a clear example of sophisticated and original R&B from London, with bouncing melodies, jilting rhythms and clever lyrics that come with a factor of being able to sing along. But stepping into her new phase, just as Saturn starts on its next spin, Nao takes a more experimental route with her music, making her the perfect VBF for any astrological phase in your life.
Writing what she refers to as "wonky funk" music, she released her first EP, So Good, in 2014
Born Neo Jessica Joshua in 1987, Nao grew up in South Woodford, an area that falls between East London and Essex. Finding herself in East London more often than Essex, thanks to the diverse range of shops in the area having her preferred shade of makeup and hair products, she fell into the grime scene there, MCing for a very brief stint. But with Jill Scott and Alicia Keys among her heroes and studying vocal jazz in London’s Guildhall School of Music & Drama, which led to her singing backing vocals for Jarvis Cocker and Kwabs, a career in neo-soul and R&B beckoned. Writing what she refers to as “wonky funk” music, she released her first EP, So Good, in 2014 and, as a result, was nominated in the best newcomer category at the 2015 MOBO Awards and featured in the long list for the BBC Sound of… 2016.
So when For All We Know finally landed, there was plenty of hype to propel her and, thankfully, the hype matched the goods. Released on RCA and her own label Little Tokyo Recordings, her debut is loaded with R&B songs, like Bad Blood and Inhale and Exhale, that draw on the sensual and go against the grain. Sounding like a mix between the glitching music of London electro and R&B act AlunaGeorge and the soulful sounds of 90s acts like Sweet Female Attitude, her music feels like a celebration of life, with the good, the bad and the heartbreak finding their place in her lyrics. On stage, she is an enigmatic force. She played Electric Picnic in 2016, her first visit to Ireland, and with her mid-afternoon slot, she was getting as much joy from dancing to her own music as the crowd was. And, reader, the crowd danced up a frenzy.
In an interview with The Fader from May 2018, she said of Saturn: “You don’t need the hype, you just need less”. But if she thought that she gave us less on album number two, she actually gave us more. Taking planetary movements into account, a cosmic theme works its way into songs like Yellow of the Sun and Orbit as she untangles the complications that come with intimate and platonic relationships. Working Afrobeat sounds and dancehall influences into Drive and Disconnect, she expands beyond her neo-funk sound and adds an extra layer to her R&B and electropop fusions. Nao is a consistent yet forward-thinking artist and, depending on where Saturn is right now, her music can tend to your corporal, visceral and choreographical needs.
Nao plays Dublin's Vicar Street on March 24th. Tickets are priced from €24.99 and available to buy fromticketmaster.ie
