RISING LONDON-BASED SINGER-SONGWRITER MARIE NAFFAH DROPS CONCEPTUAL DOUBLE SINGLE ‘HONEY’ OR ‘AIR’

Hotly tipped as NME’s ‘Big 10’ ones to watch for 2021, London-based singer-songwriter Marie Naffah returns with a conceptual double single release for her songs ‘Honey’ & ‘Air’, out on all streaming platforms on 15th October.

Different versions of the same song, ‘Honey’ & ‘Air’ are lyrically identical but sonically worlds apart. First came ‘Honey’, a feel-good, upbeat slice of dream-pop. Switching up the vibe completely is ‘Air’, a soulful, stripped back ballad with Marie’s captivatingly sultry vocals taking centre stage.

To accompany the release, Marie encourages her fans to become part of the experience through a bespoke website, complete with curated playlists to match each vibe (featuring music from Bob Dylan, Big Thief, Future Islands and more), and ‘Best Served With’ recommendations for each track (‘Honey’ – to cure Monday Blues / ‘Air’ – to relax to in the bath).

Become part of the experience here.

Marie wrote ‘Honey’ first after being selected as an artist in residence at a 17th century mansion in the South of Barcelona called Mas Palou, surrounded by a community of artists; and the energy of being surrounded by so many creatives really shines through on the track.

Marie then decided to record ‘Air’ after playing it acoustically during her ‘50 Gigs in 50 Days’ Tour, and found that it totally shifted the meaning and mood of the song. She says, “I once was told acoustic music was dead but I will never accept it.” The ability to portray two entirely different sound worlds, feelings and emotions on ‘Honey’ & ‘Air’, combined with her stunning vocal delivery is a true testament to Marie’s creativity and artistry.

Tell us more about Marie Naffah!

Hello! I’m a singer-songwriter from London just causing havoc and singing songs. NME recently named me as an artist to watch in the post-pandemic industry and I’ve just released a special single collection ‘Honey & Air’. I’m currently hiding away working on my second EP.

What inspired these singles

‘Honey’ and ‘Air’ in fact hold exactly the same lyrics. I wrote ‘Honey’ after I was selected as an artist in residence in a 17th century mansion in the South of Barcelona called Mas Palou. It was a magical place filled with some of the most inspiring Creatives I’d ever met. The song is about shifting headspace and finding yourself in a better place. I chose to record ‘Air’ after playing it acoustically during my ‘50 Gigs in 50 Days’ Tour, and I found that it totally shifted the meaning and mood of the song. I’ve always been deeply attached to acoustic music. For me, I know it’s a good song if you can remove all the glitz and the glamour of production and there, in all its nakedness, is still something wonderful. I hope people find that with ‘Air’.

What are some sources of inspiration for your storytelling?

I pick up a lot of things from what I hear out and about.There is a line in ‘Honey & Air’ which is ‘Let the pilots know that the skies are shut tonight’. A friend of mine was on the plane home after her trip to Australia had been cut short due to the UK announcing the first lockdown. She told me that the pilot had said that phrase over the loudspeaker, claiming no further flights would run that evening. She told me that last Christmas and I saved it ever since. I just thought it was a magical sentence.