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‘The Moon’ has a history of letting exciting new talents onto their stage and on Wednesday night it was Nadia Sheikh’s turn.
The half Spanish, half English singer-songwriter returned to the Cardiff stage - a long way from her home town of Alcora, just north of Valencia - to headline her first show post pandemic with support from Inland Murmur, Ragsy and Yasmine and The Euphoria.
Despite still being relatively new to the music seen, she has already made a name for herself and has even supported the Stereophonics on their 2020 tour.
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Listening to Nadia’s first EP before I attended the gig, it was clear that this she was a talented musician. Her smooth yet ernest voice gives off country vibes, complemented by the soft melodic riffs of her guitar. But hearing her Wednesday night, it was clear Nadia has come long a way; defining her sound with a little more edge and a rocky overtone that transcends onto the stage.
Her band - Harry Acreman on guitar, Rowen Davies on bass and George Gardiner on drums – has certainly helped produce a sound that teeters on the periphery of indie grunge.
On hearing the opening number “Detrimental Paradise,” it was clear we were dealing with a different performer than had first been encountered. It was here she staked her claim to the stage and made it clear as to why she’d been placed on top of the bill for the evening.
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Nadia’s opening performance set the tone for what was to come as the further she got into her set, the more she took it to a new level. The deep nineties grunge reverberated around the room and championed her presence as more rock chic than country chick.
It’s not that her original sound wasn’t toe-tappingly delightful, but, for the realisation that maybe venues like The Moon attract crowds who are more akin to the heavier sounds of an electric guitar, than the softer picking of an acoustic.
There wasn’t a much better example of this than hearing the opening riff to her latest single, ‘IDWK (I Don’t Wanna Know)’. An her hypnotic vocals crash amongst crescending indie-rock instrumentation, the endearing and powerful cut finds Nadia deep in conversation with herself, acknowledging some of the personal problems many of us tend to brush aside; filing the venue flawlessly, and invigorating the crowd in tow. The lead guitar giving it an upbeat tempo, head bopping feel.
After ending her set with ‘Get Away,’ it was clear the crowd weren’t done with Nadia just yet and wanted more; so she returned for an encore, performing ‘Fire Away’ and a track that I can only describe as a piece of indie music magic, ‘Toxic.’
Having proven she really understands how to blend rock and pop to great effect, the finished result is a vibrant and pulsating track set to leave listener craving more of the same.
There is something special about this performer. Undeniably talented, her modesty on stage, her talent and her desire to make things happen will ensure a bright future for Nadia Sheikh. You can catch Nadia in her upcoming gigs and keep tabs on her on Facebook and her website.
Review by: Olivia Grist for Keep Cardiff Live