Interview: Heather Nova
8 min read
Singer-songwriter Heather Nova first exploded onto the music scene back in the early nineties. With hits like Walk This World and Maybe an Angel from 1994 breakthrough album, Oyster and London Rain (Nothing Heals Me Like You Do) from her follow up 1998 Sirens release, Nova very quickly established herself as one of the leading ladies of pop music, sitting alongside the likes of Alanis Morissette, Jewel, Sheryl Crow and Sarah McLachlan during the 90’s boom of female solo artists.
Since her 1993 debut album, Nova has since released a further 11 studio albums. Drenched in oceanic themes – partly due to the star hailing from the small island country of Bermuda – Nova’s songwriting has continued to capture the adoration of an enormous following. Having recently released her latest collection titled Breath and Air and celebrating a successful tour where she performed London’s Omeara to a sold out crowd, we have the very lucky offer to have a few questions answered by the singer. Here is what Heather Nova had to tell us…
Brendon Veevers: Hi Heather. Congratulations on the recent release of your new studio album, Breath and Air. Can you tell us a little but about the record in terms of where you drew the most inspiration for when writing these new songs?
Heather Nova: Hi and thank you! My inspiration always just comes from my experiences. Whatever I’m going through in my life. I was thinking a lot about loss and the inevitability of change and how hard that is to accept. And I was reconciling the ever present duality in life – processing all that stuff through writing!
BV: There is a very elemental theme to the album – the album and song titles feel very familiar to Heather Nova releases. Would you say these themes come from being from Bermuda?
HN: Haha, yes well, I grew up on and around the sea. For part of my childhood my family literally lived on a boat, and I think I developed this respect for and connection with the natural world. I come back to that when I’m feeling lost and when I write. It grounds me and brings me back to the core of who I am, which is a good place to start when you’re writing and being creative. Sorry – that was a long answer to a simple question! In short, yes – the sea seeps into my lyrics because of where I come from.
BV: Do you go into a studio with new songs knowing what you want the end result to sound like or do things change as songs are pieced together?
HN: I have learned to stay open in the recording process. I always have my songs fully written before I go in to the studio, but where the sound goes, how an arrangement develops is a journey. The one thing I am very clear on is I never want a song to get lost in the production. That happened on some of my earlier stuff, so I learned from that – less is more is usually my motto when it comes to layering stuff up on arrangements.
BV: Are there any examples from your catalogue of where you have been positively surprised by the end result of a song in terms of expecting it to end up sounding very differently than it does on the record?
HN: Well I think a lot of these tracks on Breath and Air surprised me. I thought I was going to make a record with no acoustic guitar on it, for a change. But in the end many of the songs were calling out for that organic feeling, so I let go of my preconceived idea and went with “serving the song”. And I love the balance we found in the production in the end.
BV: As a writer, where does your songs come from – are they written from personal experiences or is your writing from a more observational view of the world?
HN: I write from a very personal place. I’m often surprised (and so glad!) at how many people relate to my music. People tell me stories of how what a certain song has meant to them in their life, how much they relate to a song etc…It’s a great example of how, ultimately, the most personal song is actually the most universal, because we have shared a truth, something very real and raw. And that’s where the connection happens.
BV: As a New Zealander I know what its like to feel like you are from a small country in the middle of the ocean. You are from Bermuda so I am guessing you grew up feeling the same – although Bermuda is much smaller than New Zealand. How was it growing up in such a small and quite remote place with such big dreams?
HN: Yes, I didn’t really know how things worked in the big wide world at all! At a certain point I felt a calling to make music, and I knew I wanted to make a record. But I had absolutely no idea where to start. I just knew I had to go out in the world to do it. It wasn’t going to happen in Bermuda! Maybe from growing up on the boat, I had a sense of adventure, of setting out into the unknown and seeing what would happen. There’s a kind of naive trust in that I guess. And that’s also part of being young. Wonderful youth! I went to England with my guitar and a duffle bag and a demo on cassette. When you follow the calling I think life kind of facilitates the path unfolding.
BV: There are so many gorgeous new songs on this record – a personal favourite of mine is The Lights of Sicily. The strings on this song are so beautiful and compliment your voice and the lyrics so well. As the creator of these songs, are there any numbers that stand out for you above the rest?
HN: Oh gosh, really hard for me to choose. But thank you for the compliment on The Lights of Sicily. I think Hey Poseidon, From Up Here and Beginner might be my favourites in terms to how they came out in the end.
BV: You are so well known for songs like Walk This World, Maybe An Angel and London Rain (Nothing Heals Me Like You Do) which you released earlier in your career and these made you a household name – especially in the female singer-songwriter era of the 90’s. The industry has changed so much since the 90’s – from how music is created, who is creating it, how music is listened to, promoted and toured. What are your thoughts on the current state of the music industry?
HN: There are a lot of positives, like how it’s become much easier for anyone to make a record – on a laptop in your bedroom for no money etc – and how artists can more easily put music out themselves and keep their creative control. That’s all great. But I also feel music has lots its value – in the sense that it’s all too accessible for free. The younger generation has never experienced saving up to buy an album you really want, and then cherishing it because you spent your earnings on it. You know, how we used to play the album over and over start to finish. People just flick through individual tracks on Spotify now, and something really precious has been lost in that – the art form of the album, and what an artist has put into that. And all this has made it harder for artists to survive and make a living too, because the streaming royalties are so appallingly minuscule. I’m glad vinyl has made a comeback, which returns us more to that former appreciation.
BV: Just like new songs, for every fan there are certain songs from an artist’s repertoire that hold a special place in their heart. When it comes to your back catalogue, one of my all-time favourites was your contribution to The Craft soundtrack – the song I Have The Touch (thank you for this amazing version, Heather). What song from your back catalogue would you most like to be remembered for and why?
HN: Oh thanks – you know that’s a cover, right? It’s a Peter Gabriel song. But I’m glad you like my version! I’ve written so many many songs now, so it’s hard to choose just one, but maybe Truth and Bone from Oyster or From Up Here from my recent album. Because of how I expressed lyrically and emotionally what they are about.
BV: Going back to your new record – you have been out on the road and playing these new songs for fans. What has the reception been like for the new material?
HN: I’ve been completely bowled over by the warm and positive response each night. I’m very grateful to have “fans” ( I don’t like that word!) that really appreciate and listen with depth, and who enjoy the live performances so much. We had standing ovations every single night. That’s not a flex! It’s a testament to how sharing music that comes from somewhere deep within you can create a feedback loop of connection, of emotional resonance. That’s a beautiful thing and it’s something I’m grateful to be part of.
BV: What is the most enjoyable part of being on tour?
HN: For sure the actual shows – there’s this wonderful kind of letting go, and falling into the music that I experience every time I step out on stage. I feel like everything strips away and I’m just my voice – it comes from somewhere, I’m not sure where. It’s a privilege to get to do that every night and to feel the people feeling the music.
BV: What else have you got planned for 2025 – any other shows or projects you can tell us about?
HN: I have a few more shows in June and a festival in July, and some interesting projects on the go that I’ll tell you about when they come to fruition. This week I’m just enjoying being home in nature with my dog!
BV: Thanks so much Heather
HN: Thanks so much
Heather Nova’s brand new studio album Breath and Air is out now.
::: RenownedForSound.com’s Editor and Founder –
Interviewing and reviewing the best in new music and globally recognized artists is his passion.
Over the years he has been lucky enough to review thousands of music releases and concerts and interview artists ranging from top selling superstars like 27-time Grammy Award winner Alison Krauss, Boyz II Men, Roxette, Cyndi Lauper, Lisa Loeb and iconic Eagles front man/songwriter, Glenn Frey through to more recent successes including Newton Faulkner, Janelle Monae and Caro Emerald.
Brendon manages and coordinates the amazing team of writers on RenownedForSound.com who are based in the UK, the U.S and Australia.
