Nadia Sheikh is a half British, half Spanish musician who mixes strong indie rock tracks and timeless pop tunes with heartfelt acoustics. Described as somewhat of a genre chameleon, her tracks to date revolve around quirky melodies and catchy choruses that work like earworms and stick with you. She also supported Stereophonics on their European tour earlier this year and her latest release “Fire Away” was a firm fan favorite on the tour.
Speaking of the track in a press release, Sheikh mentions: “’Fire Away’ is my love song to the crowd … I remember the first thing that stood out to me the first time my band and I played it, is that a girl in the crowd couldn’t help but throw her hands in the air and other people started hugging each other. That’s what I want the song to represent, an explosion of joy that makes you want to throw your hands up in the air.”
With its very nostalgic feel, it’s easy to see the influences her tour partners Stereophonics have played in her new track “Fire Away.” The confidently strummed guitar chords in the track’s opening instantly transport you to tracks like “C’est La Vie” or “A Thousand Trees,” and just as Sheikh hoped for, it provides an instant explosion of joy from the offset.
The song juxtaposes between highs and lows, both lyrically and sonically, and the track’s intensity lessens temporarily with the entry of Sheikh’s delicate vocals: “I broke the wishing well / My life is under spell / Redeem my thoughts / I’m a spiral out of control.”
With the following bridge section however, Sheikh entices her intended crowd and begins an upward journey: “So feed my mind / Feed my soul / Fill my life with something more / Feel the waves as they come / When I’m lonely I won’t be alone.”
The joyous, catchy choruses release all the tension of these up and down, rollercoaster journeys and imbue the track with a nostalgic glee that’s hard not to smile along with.
“Fire Away” is a pick-me-up track that’s bound to wash away your blues through its open connection and love for real-life people.