The label of powerhouse is thrown about a lot in the music community, but when it comes to emerging artist Nicola Høie, there’s no better word to describe her vocal prowess. Moving from light soulful swoons to full-bodied pop crescendos, this London-based talent conveys such an authentic sense of emotion throughout her recent single release ‘Painkiller’. Although the track is just under two minutes, it doesn’t rush through its themes of unrequited love, heartbreak and loneliness, rather it feels like a perfectly portioned slice of emotional weight.

Throughout the soul-meets-pop soundtrack, Nicola grapples with the sobering realisation that love doesn’t hold all the answers. For example, one lyric reveals, “I wish I was your painkiller then I know it would never work on you.” Her vulnerability is evident in this stirring vocal performance, which is very much complemented by the atmospheric guitars, subtle synth textures and simmering production. Produced alongside Paul Visser and the Griffiths Brothers, ‘Painkiller’ is undoubtedly a sophisticated and self-assured return for Nicola Høie who has spent the past couple of years working on her craft. We can’t wait to hear what else she delivers this year.

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