Women we love: Nao
British R&B singer and creator of new music genre wonky funk Neo Jessica Joshua (better known as Nao) talks about her bold and experimental sophomore album Saturn, participating in Afropunk SA and celebrating black identity
GQ:FOR those new to your music, how would you describe your sound? Neo Jessica Joshua:
An eclectic mix of everything I listened to when I was growing up, from R&B to electronic, and from Motown and jazz to world music. GQ: What do you love most about making music? NJ: I love the creative process: sitting in a room with a blank sheet of paper, knowing that by the end of the day a new song will have been written that no one else in the world could have written apart from me. It amazes me every time.
GQ: How far is your music a reflection of your identity?
NJ: I’m a British artist whose music is heavily influenced by blackamerican and blackbritish genres. Where I grew up, we listened to garage, grime and funky house, which formed a huge part of my identity as a teenager. Knowing artists of black origin were beginning to find their way on the UK music scene was inspiring. GQ: Your highly anticipated album Saturn was deeply personal. Why did you want to share this with listeners?
NJ: I wanted to release an album that’s vulnerable, honest and relatable. We’re bombarded with fake news, the political world is turning on its head, and social media encourages us to post images of only the positive aspects of our lives. In reality, life is sometimes shit. Mine certainly was at the time of making this album, which is why I wanted it to be honest and raw. Listeners could connect with me, understand what I was going through, and maybe even help someone else who was going through a tough time. The album is layered and explores many themes, such as heartbreak, freedom, guilt, hopefulness, growth and change. GQ: The album is based on the astrological idea of Saturn return. Care to elaborate?
NJ: Saturn return explains why most people experience a life crisis when they hit their late twenties to early thirties. Suddenly, they realise all the plans they wanted to have ticked off by the time they were thirty haven’t been. Your Saturn return is the breakdown of aspects of your life that no longer serve you or are holding you back from becoming who you truly want to be, such as your job or your relationships. GQ: When people listen to your music, what message or experience do you
hope they take away with them? NJ: I hope people understand the importance of growing through what you go through. No one wants to go through bad times, and as a result, we can put off things that might cause us grief. I used to be like that, but now I consider my struggles opportunities to grow. When you survive difficult times, you become greater, bolder, more courageous.
Life improves.
GQ: You’re performing at Afropunk in SA this December. What do you love most about the festival?
NJ: I’ve played at and been to many festivals in my lifetime. Even though Afropunk is fairly new, it’s already become a movement. It’s a platform that gives people of black origin the freedom to express themselves, without reproach. It celebrates the idea of standing out, and even embraces the LGBTQ community. Fitting in is boring, after all. GQ: What impact has black culture, coupled with your own background, had on your music?
NJ: Black culture is everywhere in pop culture: dance, music, fashion, dialect. It’s impossible for it to not have an impact and influence on most
people around the world, and I’m honoured to be part of that.
GQ: The Afropunk movement is all about inclusivity and celebrates black identity. How would you describe the relationship between the two?
NJ: I celebrate being black through my hair, my clothes and my music. I’m proud of how diverse my listeners are because they represent my friends and the world I’d like to live in. My best friends are white, black, Indian and Asian. We share our heritage, upbringing and culture every time we meet, through food and stories. At my shows, my fans and I connect through our love of music. I may be black, but my music is for everyone.
GQ: When she performed at Afropunk, Corinne Bailey Rae told the audience she wished this community had been here for her when she was 15. Why are black-centric spaces important?
NJ: Like me, Corrine Bailey Rae is British. Fifteen years ago, we [the black community] weren’t represented in mainstream media at all. We had to create spaces for ourselves, which was – and still is – hard work. That’s why there must be black-centric spaces. It’s all about visibility: when you see, you become. Without representation, many will refrain from stepping out of the shadows.
GQ: What has been the best reaction to your music at a live performance?
NJ: Almost all of my shows have been sellout concerts. What an honour that is.
“even though afropunk is fairly new, it’s already become a movement. it’s a platform that gives people of black origin the freedom to express themselves without reproach”