She kissed the frog that is ‘fame’ in the music industry with a BRIT nomination, Ivors nomination and an appearance on Top Of The Pops, but these days Nerina Pallot is making grown-up pop music for her fans. We implore you, become one!
Sometimes, the term ‘musician’s musician’ comes to mind. When an artist becomes known and respected among their peers for doing it all - great songwriting, real-deal performances, self-production - then that’s the kind of term that applies, in this case to Jersey born Nerina Pallot.
When I mentioned to a few folks that Nerina was my next guest on The Art of Longevity, few people could place her beyond a flicker. Yet back in 2007, she kissed the frog that is ‘fame’ in the music industry with a BRIT nomination, Ivors nomination and top of the lot - an appearance on Top Of The Pops (was there ever a better time to bring this music institution back?).
After her second album Fires (and the big songs Everybody's Gone To War, Sophia) Nerina was suddenly hot property. Never quite comfortable with that, her third album The Graduate (2009) was an uneven affair that failed to keep the spotlight shining Nerina’s way. Maybe that turned out for the better…
When I heard her new record, the ironically titled I Don’t Know What I’m Doing, I found myself instantly liking it but sensing that it would grow on me as well - one of those albums that keeps on revealing new depths. In that respect, I wasn’t surprised to hear that the inspiration behind it was the ‘proper pop’ tunes of the 70s: Kate Bush, Stevie Wonder, ABBA, Barry Gibb, Judie Tzuke, Leo Sayer, Carole King and Elkie Brooks!
The album is awash in 70s style keyboards and real ‘radio friendly’ tunes. If only that Late Night Taxi Ride radio show would ever get off the ground, Nerina’s brand of grown-up pop would feature rather more prominently than it currently does on the UK radio! Or even USA radio for that matter.
“I got flown out tons of times by American labels who thought that Everybody’s Gone To War would be a big radio record, but how do you sell an album that is nothing like the single? I’m not a straightforward sell. I never have been. But that’s where I’m happy”.
Her relatively low profile these days is more a frustration for her fans than Nerina herself, however. Like so many other artists of longevity, Pallot has long since eschewed the attachment to such industry accolades, but her connection to the fan base seems unbreakable:
“I have a strong contract with my audience. The fans are a big part of my records - I want them to feel like at least 3 or 4 songs connect with them - the rest is gravy”. It’s been a circuitous route each time to get my records made, so I don’t want to let them down”.
Nerina did have some recent recognition however, with her cover of Joy Division’s Love Will Tear Us Apart chosen for the TV adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Normal People, a genuine piece of serendipity stemming from a live performance of that song some two years before. As with many artists of longevity with a loyal fan base, it is live performance in which Nerina’s music really comes into its own:
“I know what people come to hear. I canvas the fans before a tour and will invite requests at shows. I know there’s someone dying to hear the seventh track on my fifth album and I’ll play it that night. I never wanna send someone home going “I didn’t hear her play that song”.
That probably makes a Nerina Pallot show the best kept secret in town. Good for those lucky, loyal fans.
Nerina will tour the UK soon. Her album can be found on streaming, but may we politely suggest you order your vinyl copy now.