Surinamese-Dutch folk-pop singer-songwriter néomí releases her captivating second EP 'after' through PIAS
LISTEN HERE
CURRENTLY SUPPORTING JONATHAN JEREMIAH ON TOUR
LISTEN TO NEW SINGLE ‘OH MY DARLING’ HERE
Following on from a captivating run of releases these last few months including ‘red balloon’, ‘i could never leave’ and ‘skipping stone’, which were praised by the likes of The Line of Best Fit, NOTION, Alexrainbird, C-Heads, Songwriting Magazine, WONDERLAND, Record of the Day, Earmilk, LOCK Mag to name just a few, as well as recently supporting SYML on his latest European tour, néomí, aka Surinamese/Dutch folk-pop singer-songwriter Neomi Speelman, has now unveiled her eagerly-awaited second EP ‘after’, showcased by the beautiful new single ‘oh my darling’.
Moving on from the release of her highly-impactful debut EP ‘before’ in 2022, ‘after’ sees her continue to develop that warm and effervescent direction she has been building since she first emerged. Keeping production light and the songwriting powerfully moving throughout, she delivers another rousing display of her heartfelt guise once again.
Speaking about the EP she explains, “I wrote most of the EP ‘after’ in the winter of 2020. It was after some difficulties I went through in my life. For the first time I realised I was getting older, and also had to face stuff more ‘grown-ups’ deal with. Sometimes life kicks you in the back and it is our job to handle it with care. The way I handle it is by writing songs, so here we are: another EP was born. I for sure got to know myself a bit better going through these things, and I hope you can find understanding in listening as well.
“After some life events I began to see life from a different perception, maybe a bit heavier as you can tell. These songs stood by my side when I needed them, and I hope they will you serve you in the same way now as well.”
Showcased by the tender new single ‘oh my darling’, she caps off the release of this new collection with one of her most intimate offerings yet. Channelling the loss of two former lovers, she creates this wonderfully tangled web of emotion that proves you never miss a whole person, but more the small details that first attracted you to them in the first place.
Adding about ‘oh my darling’, she said, “I always talk about my broken heart right? Well in this song I sing about 2 past loves who aren’t in my life anymore like they were. It is quite funny that it’s a song where I sing about a ‘she’ and a ‘he’ at the same time. So if people hadn’t figured out where I find love…now they know haha! This song is about being able to miss bits and pieces of someone, even though you’ve moved on, even though you’re ok with the choices that have been made and most importantly, even though you’ve found another love. A love that you, of course, take seriously. I believe that in all the love you find, you’ll take life lessons with you. Some good, some bad. So when I wrote this song, just walking down the street being reminded by nature what I missed from my girlfriend but found in my boyfriend at that time. If this makes any sense to you then great, if not just listen to the song and let yourself be carried away. (I hope)”
Her debut EP ‘before’ was released last year and garnered over 2 million streams and 125k Spotify monthly listeners as well as landing her first global Apple Music playlists in ‘Breaking Singer/Songwriter’ and ‘New in Singer-Songwriter’. She was also recently voted #5 of the whole Eurosonic Noorderslag festival by 3voor12, the Dutch equivalent to the BBC and she was awarded 3FM Talent by 3FM.
‘after’ EP track listing:
skipping stone
red balloon
lies made out of love
oblivious
oh my darling
i could never leave
Coinciding with the release of her new EP, néomí is currently embarking across Europe with label mate Jonathan Jeremiah on his latest EU stint. Full list of live dates remaining can be found below.
Jonathan Jeremiah European Tour
14th Apr - Leipzig Werk 2
15th Apr - Berlin Columbia Theater
16th Apr - Hannover Pavillon
17th Apr - Hamburg Fabrik
18th Apr - Antwerp Trix Club
19th Apr - Paris Backstage by The Mill
2020 was set to be the breakout year for néomí as she recorded her first singles with British engineer/producer Edd Hartwell (Tom Walker, Birdy, Tom Odell), supported singer-songwriting legend Don McLean and was also invited to the UK to play her first shows abroad. However, the out-break of a pandemic quickly followed by a life-changing event scuppered these plans with néomí using the next 12 months to develop as a songwriter and add to her growing catalogue of songs. Now, with the world returning to normality, néomí finds herself signed to [PIAS] with dozens of songs ready and waiting to be uncaged and take flight.
néomí: “It hurt me that I couldn't connect with people last year through my music, but I know now even more, that when the time comes, we will connect. And I hope people are just as eager as me to experience my music together. Like an artist I admire much once said: “the music has served me, now let the music serve you.”
As a youngster néomí’s first step into music didn’t exactly start on the right foot. After begrudgingly attending piano lessons as a child, when she was given the choice, the unimpressed Neomi quit and vowed never to play music again. I wasn’t until years later, during a browse on a popular Internet video website that she stumbled across a live video of Ben Howard performing ‘Old Pine’ with a cellist in tow. Spellbound and inspired, néomí came out of her musical retirement, picked up a guitar and began teaching herself how to play from online tutorials.
As a teenager, néomí was invited to audition for a music school in Amsterdam despite being a year too young to apply. Luckily the administrative error was overlooked as néomí was accepted on her raw talent and potential. Over the next 4 years she would hone her song writing and sound, her main influences stemming between Bon Iver, Bob Dylan, and Ben Howard. She says of the trio “their lyrics are outstanding and insanely beautiful. I don’t think they make songs, but they make art, poems. That’s something I also really try to do; make little poems instead of songs.”
néomí released her debut 5 song EP ‘before’ on June 24th 2022 via [PIAS] which was supported by CLASH, The Independent, GIGWISE, Under The Radar, La Blogotheque, Cool Hunting, Ones To Watch, LOCK Mag, Record Of The Day (Song of the Day for each track) and many more. She soon found herself opening for Novo Amor, HAEVN, The Slow Show and Celine Cairo on their 2022 shows in the Netherlands and was named both OOR and 3voor12 Talent for the upcoming Popronde tour.
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