Written by Lana Williams
Nieve Ella has emerged from the cocoon of bleached blonde hair, oversized skirts, summer style baby tees, jet black locks, sharp brows and a relentless, “couldn’t care less” demeanor to match. Marking this new era, is the premiere of the total freedom that encompasses ‘Drive’.
Despite its humble beginnings as a soft-pop offering, the track slowly turns into a crescendo of wild and forceful instrumentation, alongside one of Ella’s most impressive vocal performances to date. Here, she is thinking less: “let me just drive”, and taking command: “I’ve got the keys, I’m the driver”. She also starts to find pleasure in solidarity: “I wanna clean my face and wear some lace… And thеn go home by myself”.
Despite being “so out of my comfort zone”, Ella simply couldn’t exude more confidence – the accompanying music video follows our rock protagonist dominating rain-soaked London streets, headphones in and tightly leather clad.
Speaking on the release, Ella notes: “I wrote Drive seeking independence and relief from the emotional ties and pressure I feel, using driving as a metaphor for taking control of my life and escaping that feeling of being held back. It speaks about my feelings of freedom and self-belief, and the conflict between maintaining companionship and prioritising myself and the life I am building.”
With all the swagger of a mid-00’s Lily Allen, but with the bold, thrashing vocals of of a modern rock-pop star, ‘Drive’ is a blistering return from Nieve Ella.
Catch Nieve Ella live next month on her intimate April Club tour:
13 April – Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh
14 April – Arts Club (Loft), Liverpool
15 April – KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton
17 April – O2 Academy 2, Oxford
19 April – The Joiners, Southampton
20 April – The Portland Arms, Cambridge
21 April – The Lower Third, London
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