Nella Cole – Sex in the Room

By starrymag | December 4, 2019

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) I like to describe my sound as rhythmic pop. I’ve got tracks with those sugary pop anthem choruses, but I’ve also got songs with more rhythmic verses and grounded beats. I’m a dancer and I definitely keep that in mind when creating my music. Movement is a huge influence to my sound!

 

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) Growing up Beyoncé was everything to me. Currently, I’ve been listening to Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa and Normani to name a few. I’m also really influenced by cinematic orchestral music, which is why I love Lana Del Rey so much. The Born to Die album was life changing for me! I grew up listening to tons of rock music and hip-hop as well, so I’m definitely into a wide variety of music. If it sounds good it sounds good! I take little bits and pieces of my musical influences with me and then try to create without limitations.

 

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Sex in the Room.”

 

A) “Sex in the Room” is a bold song illustrating tension between two people who are really into each other. I created my EP with an amazing pop production duo in LA called Lyre. They had sent me the hook for “Sex in the Room” prior to our session and my immediate response was like, “This is awesome, but there’s no way I can say this!” Then, I thought about it and realized there was no reason to be afraid of saying these words. I’m a human being and talking about sex is nothing to be ashamed of! We need to stop putting such a stigma on something that is completely natural and I hope that this song can help empower women to embrace that fearlessness and go after what they want!

 

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) Fans really seem to love the hook! [laughs] They are always singing it and it makes me smile. I think people connect to this song because it gives them permission to be confident. It’s liberating and it’s fun to sing along and dance to!

 

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

 

A) The lyrics and message of the song are pretty straight forward, so for the video I wanted to play with an idea that was a bit more subtle. The video takes place in a dance studio and throughout it we can see that there is some kind of connection between the choreographer and I. We showed a lot of the “tension” through movement, eye contact, dancing and the temperature of the studio. A funny story is that we actually set off the fire alarm because of the heat and the smoke machine. So, I have a photo with actual firefighters on my video set! Poor guys.

 

 

Q) This song has a parental advisory for explicit lyrics on it. Would you consider releasing clean version for your fans?

 

A) Definitely! I think it would just be a matter of changing a few lyrics. Can you say “sex” on the radio? If not then maybe we’re out of luck. [laughs]

 

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics? 

 

A) I write songs in all different ways and my process is usually pretty different. Sometimes I just come up with my own lyrics or melodies out of thin air. Sometimes I mess around on my keyboard for ideas. Other times I collaborate with a musician or producer and they either send me tracks or we start from scratch, which is my favorite way to go. I love building the beat from the ground up and getting into a vibe with someone I’m collaborating with. It’s really exciting when you’re sharing the music and feel like you’re on the brink of something great.

 

 

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music? 

 

A) If I’m working with a producer I’ll usually sit in on the session and collaborate on the overall vibe and structure of the track. Then, we’ll write and once we get the heart of the song laid down, I let the producers do their thing. If I’m working with someone that means we’re on the same page so I totally trust them to follow their creativity on the song. If anything sticks out to me or I have a different idea we’d just talk about it and collaborate some more until we think it’s right!

 

 

Q) What can fans expect from a live Nella Cole performance?

 

A) Ooo! Fans can expect a lot of energy! Live instrumentation as well as electronic elements. A lot of dancing and theatrical performing! Um, definitely some kind of sparkly costume. Fans can expect a good time!

 

 

Q) Will there be a full EP or album coming in the near future?

 

A) So far, I’ve been releasing singles, but I’m thinking of an album in the near future. We shall see! 😉

 

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you? 

 

A) I really love performing in NY. It’s my hometown and the music scene in NYC is legendary.

 

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) I would LOVE to collaboration with Normani or Dua Lipa on some fierce girl power anthem. I’d also like to do something totally out of left field and collaborate with a rock band or something like that. Oh, and Post Malone FOR SURE! Love him.

 

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

 

A) Can’t stop listening to Miley’s new stuff. I’m obsessed! I think she does an incredible job of fusing different genres together in a new way. It’s like I can hear all of her influences in the music. She’s also just being really raw and honest and that’s what I’m most interested in these days.

 

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) Social media allows us to connect with people that we wouldn’t normally be able to reach. I can have an intimate relationship with my supporters through my social media and get to know them and that is really exciting to me. It’s cool to get messages from fans and see what you’re doing can really impact people.

 

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) I would like to say thank you for believing in me. Thank you for listening, for sharing and for being a part of my journey. Anything I do, I do with hopes to inspire and empower so really this is all for you! ❤️

 

 

Listen to “Sex in the Room”