Nive Nielsen & The Deer Children

www.juniorscave.com/NiveNielsen.html

(new music spotlight) - junior's cave

http://issuu.com/concentra/docs/20_-_guatemala_-guinee_-guinee-bissau-groenland/8 - issuu (gazet van antverpen, belgium)

Nive Nielsen: Indie Music Artist of the Week
POSTED BY MIKE WILSON ON JULY - 6 - 2009
Nive Nielsen is an Inuit singer/songwriter from Greenland. Yup, North Pole! She is currently mixing her debut album "Nive Sings - as played by Nive Nielsen & The Deer Children." The result is nothing short of amazing, both in scope and vision. It’s not every day we hear a record from the High North, let alone one with an all-star cast of indie music contributors including John Parish (who also produced the majority of the album), Howe Gelb & Giant Sand, Ralph Carney, and musicians from Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Evangelista, Clues/Unicorns, Black Keys, Eric Matthews and many others. Influences are as broad as Bessie Smith, Arthur Russell, Americana, old dusty 78s, Cat Power and Townes Van Zandt. Arctic folk? Snow songs? Ukulele-wielding Eskimos? All of that and more. Do check it out!

Nive:
"I never aimed at making a record, let alone having other people hear my songs. I just got bored, my boyfriend gave me a uke, and songs started spilling out. They’re very personal songs, heartfelt and simple and honest and basically just me. To actually record them, that was just a game, nothing serious at first. Just fun, yknow. Then we got into it, into the actual recording process. Jan started to focus on arranging what I was playing and singing -and things started to move, it became actual songs. And now, all of sudden, people are writing to me, asking for a record, wanting me to perform… it’s real cool, but also kinda surreal. I ‘m really really happy with the record - it took a while, cause we did everything ourselves, with no financial support -but it’s here, and it’s really good!

Overall my mum might be my biggest influence -she’s not had an easy life but always made sure I was doing good, and she shares with me this positive life view that focuses on little happinesses and that it’s ok to dream. For Jan, it’s his grandfather, and it also has to do with attitude towards life, experiencing things, wondering, being amazed, challenge yourself…

Musically, my biggest influences are rather diverse -and perhaps not so clear when hearing my own songs. I’m hugely influenced by old blues musicians like Washington Phillips, Geechie Wiley, Skip James, Bessie Smith - and by dusty old 78s with ethnic recordings, mountain ballads, stuff like the Harry Smith anthology - those are the mean reason that I picked up a guitar. Another big influence is Townes Van Zandt, for the lyrics and utter sadness. Arthur Russell, for the songwriting structures. I completely love Giant Sand, for the feel and excitement. Early Cat Power, for the mood. The first three BeeGees records, ’cause they have really big really beautiful arrangements. Cardinal, my favorite band of the 90s. The guitar sound of 70s Ry Cooder. JJ Cale is yet another main influence, for the feel and roll. The Chills. The Clean, and everything that’s playful and simple but never simplistic. The Pixies. And of today’s bands: Clues, M Ward, Shearwater, Bill Calahan, Serafina Steer…

It’s really hard, still, to get new sounds in Greenland - there’s no record stores, no underground, no DIY, and internet was so slow that one couldn’t even download stuff. I discovered most of the music that would influence me through traveling. Same goes for our band, The Deer Children. It’s like one big family, there’s always someone around wherever we go, some can’t come on certain occasions, but then others join in, so instead of having this anonymous backing band I wanted to emphasize that it’s really a group, even though never quite the same. We met most of them while traveling, or on the internet, or through friends. Some of the guys who play on my songs are people I looked up to a lot, I am a fan - and at a certain point, we just ended up playing together, sending each other parts, writing letters (god I love letters, with actual stamps on ‘em!).

People often ask me what my biggest achievement is. For me, being able to make the record I wanted to make, with people who are absolutely amazing, and all of that while traveling, seeing the world, living adventures… that’s it, really! When I was a kid I wanted to become an adventurer - I thought that was a real job. Turned out that’s not so - but this comes pretty close!

We’re soon starting to tour. I just played in Nuuk on the day we got self-government, which is a huge thing for us. I got to meet the Queen of Denmark, also, and play a couple songs for her. Very weird, very fun, hihi… Later this summer, in August, I ‘m playing some concerts and festivals in the UK (green man festival ao), and a whole bunch of gigs here and there in Europe. I actually start touring in autumn - September/October in Canada & USA; November & December in Europe. Really looking forward to that! And then there’s the actual record of course: there’s a 7" coming out in August; the full CD & LP in autumn, hopefully. And there’s a preview EP of "Nive Sings" release - indie music universe

NIVE NIELSEN & THE DEER CHILDREN
NIVE SINGS!

CD, udkom mandag d. 12-10-2009 på Import/Tuttu Recordings

Læserne synes:

5,75 stjerner i snit (efter 4 stemmer)
Anmeld selv ved at logge ind og føre musen over stjernerne ovenfor.
5 kommentarer
Grønlandsk singer-songwriter debuterer med amerikansk inspiration og internationalt potentiale

Den grønlandske sangerinde og sangskriver Nive Nielsen er endnu ikke så kendt på disse breddegrader, men kunne dog opleves i årets Århus Festuge, hvor hun to gange spillede før C.V. Jørgensen og fik pæn applaus. På sit debutalbum har hun fået hjælp af så markante navne som PJ Harveys mangeårige samarbejdspartner John Parish og Giant Sand-frontmand Howe Gelb, hvilket plejer at indikere kvalitet. Og Nive er da også en kompetent sangerinde og sangskriver, som præsenterer et album, der peger mere mod de amerikanske prærier end den grønlandske indlandsis, selvom tre af sangene er på grønlandsk. Hendes sødmefulde stemme og charmerende ukulele- og akustiske guitarspil præger lydbilledet, der også rummer blandt andet banjo, sav, horn og lap-steel-guitar. De americana-inspirerede sange er velskrevne og har et drømmende, længselsfuldt og romantisk skær over sig, og i det hele taget har Nive potentiale til at komme langt uden for sit store hjemlands grænser. Lad os håbe, vi snart ser hende igen på de danske scener. - GAFFA

My initial statement is very honest and not meant to be anywhere near as harsh as I am sure it will come across, but I wanted to not like this music. I wanted to dismiss it as unimportant, insignificant silliness. I wanted to… but I couldn’t.


At first glance you see a pretty girl, an Eskimo none the less (her word not mine) with a room illuminating smile and a pretty red ukulele. Now really, do you blame me? Without a sound can you really take this seriously? Then, to make matters worse, she begins to play. I hear the unmistakable, pluncky, deadened sound of an instrument that sounds like a toy. Just as you begin to move on to the next artist you notice that that “toy” is being played well. Your ears perk up, you listen further and you are richly rewarded.


As instruments layer in, each one as simple as the next, you start to understand how perfect this machine is. Each simple part is as important as the next. Displace one and the machine stops working. Finally, just as you think you understand, genius shines through. A voice both angelic and indescribably rich falls into place. It takes its place right up front and it both fuels the machine and gives it purpose. You briefly hearken back to the plunky toy idea and feel stupid when you realize you just didn’t get it, but now you do.


Nive Nielson describes herself as “a real Eskimo from Greenland. Seriously. I play music, mostly on my little red ukulele and with some help from my friends. I like that.” Well Nive, I like that too, but I can sum you up as an artist in a more succinct and accurate manner. In fact, I only need one word… genuine.


I do not recall in recent memory an artist that presents themselves in a manor so raw and genuine, so sweet and innocent, without becoming hokey. Not only does she not become hokey, she demonstrates a firm grasp on the darker side of existence. She sings, almost defiantly, almost as if to say, “Yeah, I see the crap, I just choose not to participate. Here is the reality I have chosen. Come on in. It’s very pleasant in here.” I’m sure your reaction will be the same. I’m in!



Oh yeah and that voice! My god! Take Suzanne Vega and Natalie Merchant, update their material and package it in a cute little box with a bow and you have Nive. You also have a force to be reckoned with. Nive has a velvety clean voice; it just happens to be velvet that is three feet thick. It is alluring, mesmerizing, and comforting yet maintains edge and interest. I could listen to her sing kindergarten songs and be very happy. I am just glad that she chooses to sing her own incredible work.



Her music is an exercise of juxtaposition as is she. Many of her songs are superficially endearing and simple, but just underneath the surface brooding and insightful. “The Coffee Boy Song” (even her titles are pretense free) is the inner monologue of a woman in a relationship. Not a soap opera woman, nor a sitcom, but a real life woman. She is willing to love and be open, but at the same time demands to be understood and remain an individual. These are not new concepts but I swear I have never heard them delivered with a ukulele and a smile. What’s more is I like it, a lot, but don’t tell my wife because I don’t want her to know that I am aware she is in charge.


As if the music being brilliant isn’t enough the production of her recordings gives her yet another dimension as an artist. This should be no surprise given that she lists Patrick C of The Black Keys as a collaborator. That’s good company to keep. Back to the idea of presenting both ideas of the coin, Nive does the same in her approach to recording. Instruments are recorded well but sometimes clumsily in an homage to early blues and analogue days gone by. I get that, hell, I do that! Then, when you least expect it, almost indiscernibly, technology pops up. Just a little effect here and there but enough to say, “Yeah, I am pretty creative aren’t I?” Yes Nive, you are, you are wildly creative and have found a way to make it look effortless and we are all jealous.


Those of you in Toronto should mark March 12th in your calendar and regardless of who else is playing, you find Nive and you witness it live. I am positive the Canadian Music Fest will have nothing better to offer. March 19th everybody should be in Austin for SXSW and again, in the myriad of artists she stands head and shoulders above the rest as the one to see.


If you are not in either of those fortunate groups she has both an EP and a new full length album. Buy them both, put them on your iPod and be sure to hit repeat.



http://www.myspace.com/nivenielsen

Then run to buy

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/sings/id312796114 - songs from the hat

Nive Nielsen: 'Room'
Door (kt), 18/01/2009 - 10u00

"checked and double-checked: this director has single-handedly cut out all images for the clip of "room", an absolutely brilliant little tune by greenlandic Nive Nielsen. 'There's a lump in my throat'? You better believe it"
Kristoff Tilkin

http://www.humo.be/tws/clips-van-de-week/16495/nive-nielsen-room.html - humo

Nive Nielsen: 'Room'
Door (kt), 18/01/2009 - 10u00

"checked and double-checked: this director has single-handedly cut out all images for the clip of "room", an absolutely brilliant little tune by greenlandic Nive Nielsen. 'There's a lump in my throat'? You better believe it"
Kristoff Tilkin

http://www.humo.be/tws/clips-van-de-week/16495/nive-nielsen-room.html - humo

http://www.filter-mag.com/index.php?id=19096&c=1

Undiscovered Band of the Month: Nive Nielsen
by Staff | 06.02.2009

The June 2009 edition for Discover The Undiscovered features Inuit singer/songwriter Nive Nielsen from Greenland. Nive is currently mixing her debut album "Nive Sings - as played by Nive Nielsen & The Deer Children". The result is nothing short of amazing, both in scope and vision. It's not every day we hear a record from the High North, let alone one with an all-star cast of indie music contributors including John Parish (who also produced the majority of the album), Howe Gelb & Giant Sand, Ralph Carney, and musicians from Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Evangelista, Clues/Unicorns, Black Keys, Eric Matthews and many others. Influences are as broad as Bessie Smith, Arthur Russell, Americana, old dusty 78s, Cat Power and Townes Van Zandt. Arctic folk? Snow songs? Ukulele-wielding Eskimos? All of that and more. Do check it out!

An EP has been released through iTunes earlier this year. Nive will tour in Europe & North America in autumn & winter 2009.

Nive Nielsen on MySpace: myspace.com/nivenielsen

Who are your main influences?
Overall my mum might be my biggest influence -she's not had an easy life but always made sure I was doing good, and she shares with me this positive life view that focuses on little happinesses and that it's ok to dream. For Jan, it's his grandfather, and it also has to do with attitude towards life, experiencing things, wondering, being amazed, challenge yourself

Musically, my biggest influences are rather diverse -and perhaps not so clear when hearing my own songs. I'm hugely influenced by old blues musicians like Washington Phillips, Geechie Wiley, Skip James, Bessie Smith - and by dusty old 78s with ethnic recordings, mountain ballads, stuff like the Harry Smith anthology - those are the mean reason that I picked up a guitar. Another big influence is Townes Van Zandt, for the lyrics and utter sadness. Arthur Russell, for the songwriting structures. I completely love Giant Sand, for the feel and excitement. Early Cat Power, for the mood. The first three BeeGees records, 'cause they have really big really beautiful arrangements. Cardinal, my favorite band of the 90s. The guitar sound of 70s Ry Cooder. JJ Cale is yet another main influence, for the feel and roll. The Chills. The Clean, and everything that's playful and simple but never simplistic. The Pixies. And of today's bands: Clues, M Ward, Shearwater, Bill Calahan, Serafina Steer, ...

How did you meet?
The core of the band has always been me and Jan - I make the songs & texts, and then we arrange 'em together. We met a few years ago in Nuuk, at some birthday party. I didn't know Jan back then, but there was this guy who kept raiding the host's cd player every 5 minutes, zapping away all the music he didn't like (and that was quite a bit) and putting on weird stuff, really cool stuff. It was the first time I heard somebody mix really old blues from the 20s with Arthur Russell! I can imagine that some of the other guests didn't quite enjoy it as much as I did -but I was in desperate need for new input back then (it's really hard, still, to get new sounds in Greenland - there's no record stores, no underground, no DIY, and internet was so slow that one couldn't even download stuff). But Jan was right back from a long trip in Europe and the States and brought home all those weird and intriguing LPs... yeah, we hit it off right away, there :) That same night we decided to make a band together - I 'd never sung or played any instrument before, but he seemed not to mind so much. For my birthday I got a tiny red ukulele - and the songs just started coming out.

The guys we play with live, or our friends who helped recording, we call 'em The Deer Children. It's like one big family, there's always someone around wherever we go, some can't come on certain occasions, but then others join in, so instead of having this anonymous backing band I wanted to emphasize that it's really a group, even though never quite the same. We met most of them while traveling, or on the internet, or through friends. Some of the guys who play on my songs are people I looked up to a lot, I am a fan - and at a certain point, we just ended up playing together, sending each other parts, writing letters (god I love letters, with actual stamps on 'em!).

What is your biggest achievement as a band to date?
Being able to make the record I wanted to make, with people who are absolutely amazing, and all of that while traveling, seeing the world, living adventures. When I was a kid I wanted to become an adventurer - I thought that was a real job. Turned out that's not so - but this comes pretty close!

Where did the band name originate?
it's just my name, Nive - and The Deer Children - cause I like deer.

Plans to Tour?
This summer: Greenland, a private concert for the queen of Denmark, some festivals in Sweden, August U - Filter

tuesday, june 9, 2009

Nive Nielsen & The Deer People
If you've ever wondered what eskimo music sounded like, Nive Nielsen & The Deer Children, is it. Nive is an Inuk from Greenland and her compositions are breathtaking!

Her song, Room, is a simple track plucked and plinked along with great accompaniment to surround her cooing vocals. Its a truly fresh sound.

Good for You, is a more quirky-folksy tune that needs a Mac commercial to support. Its a pop-perfected folk song that you'll be singing along to by the first chorus. On My Coffee Boy, her voice lilts along with a jazzy bass and percussive undertone.

Nive clearly has it. She combines talent, creativity, and successful writing to work for her and her band. I can only imagine it a matter of time before she's an international success.

RATING: 5 of 5 stars

- awaken music

http://www.filter-mag.com/index.php?id=19096&c=1

Undiscovered Band of the Month: Nive Nielsen
by Staff | 06.02.2009

The June 2009 edition for Discover The Undiscovered features Inuit singer/songwriter Nive Nielsen from Greenland. Nive is currently mixing her debut album "Nive Sings - as played by Nive Nielsen & The Deer Children". The result is nothing short of amazing, both in scope and vision. It's not every day we hear a record from the High North, let alone one with an all-star cast of indie music contributors including John Parish (who also produced the majority of the album), Howe Gelb & Giant Sand, Ralph Carney, and musicians from Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Evangelista, Clues/Unicorns, Black Keys, Eric Matthews and many others. Influences are as broad as Bessie Smith, Arthur Russell, Americana, old dusty 78s, Cat Power and Townes Van Zandt. Arctic folk? Snow songs? Ukulele-wielding Eskimos? All of that and more. Do check it out!

An EP has been released through iTunes earlier this year. Nive will tour in Europe & North America in autumn & winter 2009.

Nive Nielsen on MySpace: myspace.com/nivenielsen

Who are your main influences?
Overall my mum might be my biggest influence -she's not had an easy life but always made sure I was doing good, and she shares with me this positive life view that focuses on little happinesses and that it's ok to dream. For Jan, it's his grandfather, and it also has to do with attitude towards life, experiencing things, wondering, being amazed, challenge yourself

Musically, my biggest influences are rather diverse -and perhaps not so clear when hearing my own songs. I'm hugely influenced by old blues musicians like Washington Phillips, Geechie Wiley, Skip James, Bessie Smith - and by dusty old 78s with ethnic recordings, mountain ballads, stuff like the Harry Smith anthology - those are the mean reason that I picked up a guitar. Another big influence is Townes Van Zandt, for the lyrics and utter sadness. Arthur Russell, for the songwriting structures. I completely love Giant Sand, for the feel and excitement. Early Cat Power, for the mood. The first three BeeGees records, 'cause they have really big really beautiful arrangements. Cardinal, my favorite band of the 90s. The guitar sound of 70s Ry Cooder. JJ Cale is yet another main influence, for the feel and roll. The Chills. The Clean, and everything that's playful and simple but never simplistic. The Pixies. And of today's bands: Clues, M Ward, Shearwater, Bill Calahan, Serafina Steer, ...

How did you meet?
The core of the band has always been me and Jan - I make the songs & texts, and then we arrange 'em together. We met a few years ago in Nuuk, at some birthday party. I didn't know Jan back then, but there was this guy who kept raiding the host's cd player every 5 minutes, zapping away all the music he didn't like (and that was quite a bit) and putting on weird stuff, really cool stuff. It was the first time I heard somebody mix really old blues from the 20s with Arthur Russell! I can imagine that some of the other guests didn't quite enjoy it as much as I did -but I was in desperate need for new input back then (it's really hard, still, to get new sounds in Greenland - there's no record stores, no underground, no DIY, and internet was so slow that one couldn't even download stuff). But Jan was right back from a long trip in Europe and the States and brought home all those weird and intriguing LPs... yeah, we hit it off right away, there :) That same night we decided to make a band together - I 'd never sung or played any instrument before, but he seemed not to mind so much. For my birthday I got a tiny red ukulele - and the songs just started coming out.

The guys we play with live, or our friends who helped recording, we call 'em The Deer Children. It's like one big family, there's always someone around wherever we go, some can't come on certain occasions, but then others join in, so instead of having this anonymous backing band I wanted to emphasize that it's really a group, even though never quite the same. We met most of them while traveling, or on the internet, or through friends. Some of the guys who play on my songs are people I looked up to a lot, I am a fan - and at a certain point, we just ended up playing together, sending each other parts, writing letters (god I love letters, with actual stamps on 'em!).

What is your biggest achievement as a band to date?
Being able to make the record I wanted to make, with people who are absolutely amazing, and all of that while traveling, seeing the world, living adventures. When I was a kid I wanted to become an adventurer - I thought that was a real job. Turned out that's not so - but this comes pretty close!

Where did the band name originate?
it's just my name, Nive - and The Deer Children - cause I like deer.

Plans to Tour?
This summer: Greenland, a private concert for the queen of Denmark, some festivals in Sweden, August U - Filter

Band of the Month: Nive Nielsen
Uke-wielding Eskimo girl records with John Parish
By Sarah Collins
Published: July 28th, 2009 | 7:00am

WHO IT IS
Singer Nive Nielsen and her multi-instrumentalist boyfriend, Jan de Vroede, plus a rotating cast of friends and musicians called the Deer Children.

LOCATION
Nuuk, Greenland

FILE UNDER
Shockingly catchy and surprising acoustic pop

IN A NUTSHELL
Nive Nielsen left this challenge on her SonicBids page: “I betcha you've never written about a ukulele-wielding Eskimo girl singing about murderous vacuum cleaners and ghost bugs.” She’s not wrong. Nielsen’s oddball pop songs are just a little bit different from anyone else’s — it would be hard not to be when you live in a country with only 58,000 residents and no roads.

“On the radio we hear mainstream, Greenlandic oldies and classical music,” Nielsen says. “People sometimes compare me to Cat Power or Neko Case or even Björk — but none of them I ever heard before leaving Greenland.” Though she considers herself a musician from Greenland rather than a Greenlandic musician, Nielsen admits that the geographic reality of isolation seeps into her songs.

But it’s not novelty that makes her songs great. It’s an uncanny ear and unmistakable talent that make Nielsen worth paying attention too. That’s what gets greats like John Parish to record with her.

While Nielsen’s talent is obvious, it’s still a surprise to hear how raw it is. “A couple years ago… I met my boyfriend-bandmate, Jan,” she says. “We decided to make a band together. I 'd never sung or played any instrument before.” De Vroede must have recognized her potential, and he found the perfect way to tap it. “For my birthday, Jan gave me a little red ukulele… I'd never really played guitar before or anything, but as I was alone a lot and as it was freezing outside, I started to mess around with it. A few months later, he came back to visit and I had made a bunch of songs.”

The two started working together to flesh out Nielsen’s spontaneous strum-and-sing songs, adding instrumentation and recording on the fly. De Vroede built a makeshift recording studio in the attic and their demos began drawing attention. “A few people… had told John Parish about me. And told me about him, about PJ Harvey and Eels and a whole lot of other music he'd done. They thought he'd be the perfect guy to record me,” says Nielsen. “Up until then I'd never even considered doing a ‘real’ record.” Parish liked what he heard, and invited Nielsen to his studio to record a few songs. The songs were a success, and they decided to work on the rest of the record together. The result is Sings, an EP full of simple — but never simplistic — songs.

“This whole recording process at John's turned out to be just lovely,” says Nielsen. “I'm very proud of what we accomplished there — and that's really thanks to him.”

WHAT’S AHEAD
Sings is available via iTunes (listed simply under “Nive”) with a physical version set for release in the US this fall.

MORE INFO
Nive Nielsen’s MySpace

—

Nive Nielsen is Venus Zine’s "Band of the Month" for July 2009. - venus zine

http://www.praiseforwallflower.com/2009/08/nive-nielsen.html

THE SKINNY: Nive Nielsen is a ukulele-playing folk-pop singer/songwriter from Nuuk, Greenland.


MYSPACE: http://myspace.com/nivenielsen
PURCHASE: iTunes

Nive Nielsen is certainly one of a kind. Not only does she write the majority of her music using a small, single ukulele, but she also happens to be an Inuk Eskimo from Greeland. Seriously.

Having had very little musical influence or experience growing up in Greenland, Nive began writing songs on her ukulele after having received it as a gift from her boyfriend (and current band-mate) Jan de Vroede. Her prior musical restrictions certainly don't show, however, as she's capable of producing some very catchy, pretty and majestic tunes. Perhaps that makes her music stand apart from other acoustic folk-pop artists through are her very unique and imaginative lyrics. Wondering what I mean by unique and imaginative? Here's a quote from Nive (via SonicBids) - "I'm scared of ghosts. And bugs. And ghost bugs as well. So I sing about them."

Nive's EP Nive Sings! (available on iTunes) was produced by John Parish (of PJ Harvey and Eels production-fame) and serves as a lovely array of her songwriting talent. She does, however, credit much of her talent to her band-mate Jan de Vroede and the large handful of artists/friends that often accompany her (which have included members of groups such as the Black Keys, Unicorns, GY!BE, Wolf Parade and many more). Posted below are several tracks off of the aforementioned EP, and are definitely worth a listen (even if you may not happen to be a fan of the genre).

- praise the wallflower

Band of the Month: Nive Nielsen
Uke-wielding Eskimo girl records with John Parish
By Sarah Collins
Published: July 28th, 2009 | 7:00am

WHO IT IS
Singer Nive Nielsen and her multi-instrumentalist boyfriend, Jan de Vroede, plus a rotating cast of friends and musicians called the Deer Children.

LOCATION
Nuuk, Greenland

FILE UNDER
Shockingly catchy and surprising acoustic pop

IN A NUTSHELL
Nive Nielsen left this challenge on her SonicBids page: “I betcha you've never written about a ukulele-wielding Eskimo girl singing about murderous vacuum cleaners and ghost bugs.” She’s not wrong. Nielsen’s oddball pop songs are just a little bit different from anyone else’s — it would be hard not to be when you live in a country with only 58,000 residents and no roads.

“On the radio we hear mainstream, Greenlandic oldies and classical music,” Nielsen says. “People sometimes compare me to Cat Power or Neko Case or even Björk — but none of them I ever heard before leaving Greenland.” Though she considers herself a musician from Greenland rather than a Greenlandic musician, Nielsen admits that the geographic reality of isolation seeps into her songs.

But it’s not novelty that makes her songs great. It’s an uncanny ear and unmistakable talent that make Nielsen worth paying attention too. That’s what gets greats like John Parish to record with her.

While Nielsen’s talent is obvious, it’s still a surprise to hear how raw it is. “A couple years ago… I met my boyfriend-bandmate, Jan,” she says. “We decided to make a band together. I 'd never sung or played any instrument before.” De Vroede must have recognized her potential, and he found the perfect way to tap it. “For my birthday, Jan gave me a little red ukulele… I'd never really played guitar before or anything, but as I was alone a lot and as it was freezing outside, I started to mess around with it. A few months later, he came back to visit and I had made a bunch of songs.”

The two started working together to flesh out Nielsen’s spontaneous strum-and-sing songs, adding instrumentation and recording on the fly. De Vroede built a makeshift recording studio in the attic and their demos began drawing attention. “A few people… had told John Parish about me. And told me about him, about PJ Harvey and Eels and a whole lot of other music he'd done. They thought he'd be the perfect guy to record me,” says Nielsen. “Up until then I'd never even considered doing a ‘real’ record.” Parish liked what he heard, and invited Nielsen to his studio to record a few songs. The songs were a success, and they decided to work on the rest of the record together. The result is Sings, an EP full of simple — but never simplistic — songs.

“This whole recording process at John's turned out to be just lovely,” says Nielsen. “I'm very proud of what we accomplished there — and that's really thanks to him.”

WHAT’S AHEAD
Sings is available via iTunes (listed simply under “Nive”) with a physical version set for release in the US this fall.

MORE INFO
Nive Nielsen’s MySpace

—

Nive Nielsen is Venus Zine’s "Band of the Month" for July 2009. - venus zine