a songwriter for big names such as Little Mix and K-pop stars NCT 127, Nicole Shortland’s own artist career made a flying start with last year’s debut single ‘Ride’. Having secured an iTunes Country Top 10 hit as well as airplay from BBC Introducing, the London-based artist earned praise from country stars Lainey Wilson and Tigirlily Gold for her takes on their songs as well as playing a showcase performance hosted by Ben Earle of The Shires. Now pushing towards bigger things in 2024, Nicole Shortland now shares her new single ‘Blow’.
Making the most of music’s purest traits: Nicole’s bright, naturally charming vocal and heartening melodies given a warm country embrace with slide guitar and banjo, yet with a vibrant pop immediacy. ‘Blow’ is also a song that delivers a central lyric that’s both straight-to-the-heart and inspiringly self-confident: “I just thought you should know: don’t be careful you might hurt me, be careful because I might just blow.”
While ‘Blow’ is specifically about setting standards in a relationship, it’s a lyric that could be applied to other conflicts in life, such as Nicole’s experiences in the music industry. After starting out when she was just 13-years-old, Nicole had to learn to protect herself and establish boundaries after experiencing immense pressure leading to mental health issues. The song is a reminder to stand up for herself, but just as importantly it also encourages other young women to have the confidence to push back against such coercion.
Nicole says, “I wrote ‘Blow’ thinking about how sometimes as a young woman, people walk on eggshells around you, thinking you’re fragile like a flower and they may hurt you but really, you’re fragile like a bomb and just might explode! It’s something I’ve felt when I was younger and has stuck with me the older I got.”
‘Blow’ was written solely by Nicole, with production from Bach Beats.
While Nicole has enjoyed many larger-than-life adventures through music (more on those in a moment), ‘Ride’, the follow-up ‘Out of Town Girl’ and now ‘Blow’ represent the first time that she has fully embraced her authentic country heart. And the initial reaction to those tracks shows that it’s only a matter of time before she’s making big waves in her favourite genre.
Even prior to her songwriting success and her newly revealed country spirit, Nicole had a wealth of industry experience for a young artist. She has recorded with everyone from Izzy Bizu to DJ Fresh, and has performed in huge arenas on bills with artists such as Justin Bieber, Jaden Smith and Rita Ora. That big stage star quality will surely serve her well as she hits relatively intimate venues with her own upcoming country shows.
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