Introducing Baltimore-based Brazilian alternative rock singer, songwriter and producer I AM NIGHT – real name Natália Borges de Oliveira – with her captivating heavy-hitting debut EP RETURNING. Backed by lead singles ‘Break Me Down’ and ‘Delayed Afterlight’, the 5-track Returning EP was written and composed by I Am Night, produced by Virginia musician, producer and engineer Jack Kilby from award-winning Jazz band Jack Kilby And The Front Line, with additional support from Eliot Seppa on Bass, Micha Robinson on keys and synths, and John Lee on guitar.
From the fierce opening track ‘Delayed Afterlight’ with its driving drums and guitar arrangements, and the catchy and infectious rocker about taking accountability ‘It Is Me’, to the hopeful ‘Let It Go’, which is led by lush harmonies, a glorious sax solo, and inspired by The Contortionist, and to the deeply personal and intimate ‘What I Am’, which sees I Am Night tackling her depression full on, and closing out the EP in excellent fashion, I Am Night shines through from start to finish, with her piercing vocal performance, and thoughtful and relatable songwriting.
Speaking about how the EP came about, I Am Night says, “I honestly never thought this was going to be an EP. I was working 12-hour shifts at restaurants and just writing in my spare time. I would be washing dishes or buying groceries and just come up with random melodies or sentences that I instantly recorded on my phone. I was having so many lyrics and instrumental ideas and just resorted to Garage Band to come up with half decent demos, and that’s how part of ‘Delayed Afterlight’ and the entirety of ‘It Is Me’ came to life.
‘Break Me Down’ was birthed in a jam session with DJ Skooly and Tom Karpf, and after that, I had three solid songs and thought ‘why not make it five and have an EP’ so I carefully crafted two slow jams (sort of) in ‘Let It Go’ and ‘What I Am’ to counterbalance the three heavy rock tracks I had already created. Then all I needed was a fantastic producer and engineer to bring the project to life for me, luckily I found Jack Kilby and we instantly clicked. The result is a project that I am deeply proud of, and one I hope will make a difference in someone’s life”.
As for what it has been like working on a record during the COVID-19 lockdown, I Am Night confesses that “it was surprisingly peaceful. Even though these social distancing and self-isolation protocols may trigger depression and anxiety in any one of us as we try to take care of our mental health, I have found that having something to work on and diving into my music is something that is keeping me sane and in a calm headspace during this storm. It’s good to feel like I may have something good to offer to people in these troubled times. If I help only one person to feel better through my music, it was already worth it”.
Listen to ‘Returning’ EP – BELOW:
Born and raised in Brazil, Natália Borges de Oliveira aka I Am Night grew up in a family where both of her parents were professional musicians, which was essential to her own musical development. She began experimenting with music at the tender age of four, and singing became her passion and personal pursuit, with her childhood typified by collaborations with prominent music projects in her hometown in Campo Grand. At 17, she moved to São Paolo to study music at UNASP for two years, before having to move abruptly to the United States with her family. Now at 22, she resides in Baltimore, where she has linked up with Jack Kilby for her debut EP Returning.
‘RETURNING’ EP TRACKLIST
1. Delayed Afterlight
2. It Is Me
3. Break Me Down
4. Let It Go
5. What Am I
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