Heather Nova
Encyclopedia
Heather Nova, is a Bermudian
singer-songwriter
and poet. She has released eight full-length albums and has found lasting success in Germany where two of her albums South and Storm have made their way into the Top-5 of German official album chart.
. Her mother is Nova Scotia
n, and her father is a native Bermudian. Nova spent most of her childhood with her family (including one sister, television reporter Susannah, and one brother, reggae
singer Mishka
) on a 40 ft (12 m) boat (named "Moon") built by her father, where the Friths spent most of 1970s and part of the 1980s, sailing throughout the Atlantic and Caribbean waters and coasts. Since her idyllic childhood, Heather has played over 600 concerts, sold over 2 million albums and has a career of 20 years in the Music industry.
Nova started playing guitar and violin at an early age, writing her first song when she was 12. Her family relocated to New England where she attended the Putney School in Putney
, Vermont
. Following her graduation in 1983, Nova enrolled at the Rhode Island School of Design
(RISD), where she majored in film in 1989. She also sat in on poetry classes and wrote music to go with her student films. Later, she would forego film study to focus on creating music.
(where she unsuccessfully tried to interest some major labels in a demo
), before moving to London
, England, a place she called home for twelve years (she already had British citizenship due to her Bermudian origins). In 1990, she released her first recording, Heather Frith, an EP; she had not yet changed her name. The name change came a year or so later, in an effort to create a name with more buzz.
The new name debuted in 1993 with her second EP Spirit in You and her first full album, the critically acclaimed Glow Stars
, after being discovered by producer Felix Tod and introduced to Big Cat label manager Steven Abbott. The success of the album led her to record and release her first live album Blow the same year, which she supported by a tour of Europe. In 1994, she released Oyster
, for which she toured for almost two years. Another live album, Live from the Milky Way, was released in 1995. Siren
, the follow-up to Oyster because of the hit single "London Rain", was released in 1998, after which she joined Sarah McLachlan
and others on the North American Lilith Fair
, a music festival with only female performers.
After the release of Siren and a world tour to promote the record, Nova took a break while various television show and film soundtracks licensed some of her songs and her record company (Sony Records/The WORK Group
) released various singles from the album, which received only moderate play on America's MTV2
, Europe's MTV
and Canada's MuchMusic
and on mainstream radio, although she was popular on college radio. Also during this time, she recorded a version of the often covered
traditional song "Gloomy Sunday
", for the German WWII
feature film drama Ein Lied von Liebe und Tod
(released under the International title Gloomy Sunday). She released yet another live album, Wonderlust, in 2000.
Over the years, Nova has written and recorded over 120 songs. With the release of South (2001), she returned to the international spotlight with an appearance on the soundtrack of the John Cusack
movie Serendipity
. She also appeared on the soundtrack
to the Sean Penn
film, I am Sam
and sung on The Crow. A collaboration with Swedish indiepop band Eskobar
, for a song called "Someone New", led to its music video
being played primarily on America's MTV
. Storm, Nova's fifth studio album, recorded with Mercury Rev as her backing band, was released in late 2003 on her own Saltwater label, went top 5 in Germany, followed by a tour during which Nova became eight months pregnant. She quickly followed the birth of her son with her next record Redbird, released in 2005, again Top 10 in Germany.
In December 2005, Nova released Together As One, an EP supporting the Bermuda Sloop Foundation, which operates the Bermuda sloop
Spirit of Bermuda
. The EP was only available in Bermuda shops and from the fan-run websites, HeatherNova.Net and HeatherNova.De.
In 2002, she self-published The Sorrowjoy, a 72-page book of her poetry
and drawing
s. An album of the same name was released in March 2006, which featured Nova reading the poems from her book set to ambient music
. The album has only been available for purchase at concerts beginning with the Intimate Evening tour, from the fan-run websites, HeatherNova.Net and HeatherNova.De, and from the official website, www.heathernova.Com.
She also collaborated with the German trance artist ATB on tracks like "Love Will Find You", "Feel You Like A River" and the international hit "Renegade".
In 2008, Nova released an album called The Jasmine Flower, a solar powered acoustic album recorded in Bermuda, before touring as an acoustic tour. In the fall of 2010 she embarked on another European tour promoting her The Jasmine Flower album. On this tour, she played four unreleased songs ("Save A Little Piece Of Tomorrow", "Everything Changes", "Burning To Love", and "Turn The Compass Round") that are included on her current album, 300 Days At Sea
. This full-band album was released on May 27, 2011, using Pledge Music as the forum.
Heather Nova is popular in New Zealand with "Oyster" peaking at #23 and "Siren" peaking at #18 in the RIANZ Top 40. The single "Walk This World" peaked at #19 and still gets occasional radio play.
Bermudian
Bermudian or Bermudan may refer to:* Something of, or related to Bermuda* A person from Bermuda, or of Bermudian descent. For information about the Bermudian people, see Demographics of Bermuda and Culture of Bermuda. For specific Bermudians, see List of Bermudians.* Bermudian English, the variety...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
and poet. She has released eight full-length albums and has found lasting success in Germany where two of her albums South and Storm have made their way into the Top-5 of German official album chart.
Biography
Heather Nova was born in BermudaBermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
. Her mother is Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
n, and her father is a native Bermudian. Nova spent most of her childhood with her family (including one sister, television reporter Susannah, and one brother, reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
singer Mishka
Mishka
Mishka is an internationally known reggae artist from Bermuda. He released his first self-titled album Mishka in 1999 and had a hit single in the UK with "Give You All The Love". He is currently signed to Matthew McConaughey's record label, j.k. livin, and is touring in support of his latest...
) on a 40 ft (12 m) boat (named "Moon") built by her father, where the Friths spent most of 1970s and part of the 1980s, sailing throughout the Atlantic and Caribbean waters and coasts. Since her idyllic childhood, Heather has played over 600 concerts, sold over 2 million albums and has a career of 20 years in the Music industry.
Nova started playing guitar and violin at an early age, writing her first song when she was 12. Her family relocated to New England where she attended the Putney School in Putney
Putney, Vermont
Putney is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,634 at the 2000 census.On December 26, 1753 Col.Josiah Willard led a proprietors' petition for a Putney charter which was issued by Governor Benning Wentworth of the New Hampshire Grants under King George II of England...
, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. Following her graduation in 1983, Nova enrolled at the Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design is a fine arts and design college located in Providence, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1877. Located at the base of College Hill, the RISD campus is contiguous with the Brown University campus. The two institutions share social, academic, and community resources and...
(RISD), where she majored in film in 1989. She also sat in on poetry classes and wrote music to go with her student films. Later, she would forego film study to focus on creating music.
Career
After graduating from RISD, Nova briefly relocated to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
(where she unsuccessfully tried to interest some major labels in a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
), before moving to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England, a place she called home for twelve years (she already had British citizenship due to her Bermudian origins). In 1990, she released her first recording, Heather Frith, an EP; she had not yet changed her name. The name change came a year or so later, in an effort to create a name with more buzz.
The new name debuted in 1993 with her second EP Spirit in You and her first full album, the critically acclaimed Glow Stars
Glow Stars
Glow Stars is the debut album by Heather Nova, released in 1993 .-Track listing:All songs written by Heather Nova.#"Bare" – 4:24#"My Fidelity" – 4:21#"Spirit in You" – 4:00#"Shell" – 4:10#"Glow Stars" – 3:07...
, after being discovered by producer Felix Tod and introduced to Big Cat label manager Steven Abbott. The success of the album led her to record and release her first live album Blow the same year, which she supported by a tour of Europe. In 1994, she released Oyster
Oyster (album)
Oyster is the second studio album by Heather Nova, released in 1994 .-Track listing:All songs written by Heather Nova.#"Walk This World" – 3:49#"Heal" – 3:55#"Island" – 6:20#"Throwing Fire at the Sun" – 5:57...
, for which she toured for almost two years. Another live album, Live from the Milky Way, was released in 1995. Siren
Siren (Heather Nova album)
-Track listing:All songs written by Heather Nova.#"London Rain " – 3:49#"Blood of Me" – 3:59#"Heart and Shoulder" – 3:58#"What a Feeling" – 4:46#"Valley of Sound" – 4:20#"I'm the Girl" – 5:23#"Winterblue" – 4:56...
, the follow-up to Oyster because of the hit single "London Rain", was released in 1998, after which she joined Sarah McLachlan
Sarah McLachlan
Sarah Ann McLachlan, OC, OBC is a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter. Known for her emotional ballads and mezzo-soprano vocal range, as of 2006, she has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is Surfacing, for which she won two Grammy Awards and four...
and others on the North American Lilith Fair
Lilith Fair
Lilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999, and was revived in the summer of 2010. It...
, a music festival with only female performers.
After the release of Siren and a world tour to promote the record, Nova took a break while various television show and film soundtracks licensed some of her songs and her record company (Sony Records/The WORK Group
The Work Group
The Work Group is a collective incorporating three main businesses. The head office is based in Shepparton, Victoria, Australia. They are primarily an Employment Service Provider with different focuses for each business, including Disability Employment Services and Job Services Australia...
) released various singles from the album, which received only moderate play on America's MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
, Europe's MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
and Canada's MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
and on mainstream radio, although she was popular on college radio. Also during this time, she recorded a version of the often covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
traditional song "Gloomy Sunday
Gloomy Sunday
"Gloomy Sunday" is a song composed by Hungarian pianist and composer Rezső Seress and published in 1933, as "Vége a világnak" . Lyrics were written by László Jávor, and in his version the song was retitled "Szomorú vasárnap"...
", for the German WWII
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
feature film drama Ein Lied von Liebe und Tod
Ein Lied von Liebe und Tod
Ein Lied von Liebe und Tod is a 1999 film, a German/Hungarian co-production.Although the movie centers on a romantic love triangle with tragic consequences, it has a strong history background, set in Hungary during World War II...
(released under the International title Gloomy Sunday). She released yet another live album, Wonderlust, in 2000.
Over the years, Nova has written and recorded over 120 songs. With the release of South (2001), she returned to the international spotlight with an appearance on the soundtrack of the John Cusack
John Cusack
John Paul Cusack is an American film actor and screenwriter. He has appeared in more than 50 films, including The Journey of Natty Gann, Say Anything..., Grosse Point Blank, The Thin Red Line, Stand by Me, Con Air, Being John Malkovich, High Fidelity, Serendipity, Runaway Jury, The Ice Harvest,...
movie Serendipity
Serendipity (film)
Serendipity is a 2001 romantic comedy, starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale. It was written by Marc Klein and directed by Peter Chelsom...
. She also appeared on the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to the Sean Penn
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
film, I am Sam
I Am Sam
I Am Sam is a 2001 American drama film written and directed by Jessie Nelson, and starring Sean Penn as a father with a developmental disability, Dakota Fanning as his inquisitive seven-year-old daughter, and Michelle Pfeiffer as his lawyer...
and sung on The Crow. A collaboration with Swedish indiepop band Eskobar
Eskobar
Eskobar is the name of a Swedish indie/pop band that was founded in 1996 some 30 kilometres north of Stockholm, in the small town of Åkersberga...
, for a song called "Someone New", led to its music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
being played primarily on America's MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. Storm, Nova's fifth studio album, recorded with Mercury Rev as her backing band, was released in late 2003 on her own Saltwater label, went top 5 in Germany, followed by a tour during which Nova became eight months pregnant. She quickly followed the birth of her son with her next record Redbird, released in 2005, again Top 10 in Germany.
In December 2005, Nova released Together As One, an EP supporting the Bermuda Sloop Foundation, which operates the Bermuda sloop
Bermuda sloop
The Bermuda sloop is a type of fore-and-aft rigged sailing vessel developed on the islands of Bermuda in the 17th century. In its purest form, it is single-masted, although ships with such rigging were built with as many as three masts, which are then referred to as schooners...
Spirit of Bermuda
Spirit of Bermuda
The Spirit of Bermuda is a modern-built Bermuda sloop. She is a replica of a Royal Navy Sloop-of-war, depicted in a well-known 1831 painting.-History of the Bermuda Sloop:...
. The EP was only available in Bermuda shops and from the fan-run websites, HeatherNova.Net and HeatherNova.De.
In 2002, she self-published The Sorrowjoy, a 72-page book of her poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
and drawing
Drawing
Drawing is a form of visual art that makes use of any number of drawing instruments to mark a two-dimensional medium. Common instruments include graphite pencils, pen and ink, inked brushes, wax color pencils, crayons, charcoal, chalk, pastels, markers, styluses, and various metals .An artist who...
s. An album of the same name was released in March 2006, which featured Nova reading the poems from her book set to ambient music
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
. The album has only been available for purchase at concerts beginning with the Intimate Evening tour, from the fan-run websites, HeatherNova.Net and HeatherNova.De, and from the official website, www.heathernova.Com.
She also collaborated with the German trance artist ATB on tracks like "Love Will Find You", "Feel You Like A River" and the international hit "Renegade".
In 2008, Nova released an album called The Jasmine Flower, a solar powered acoustic album recorded in Bermuda, before touring as an acoustic tour. In the fall of 2010 she embarked on another European tour promoting her The Jasmine Flower album. On this tour, she played four unreleased songs ("Save A Little Piece Of Tomorrow", "Everything Changes", "Burning To Love", and "Turn The Compass Round") that are included on her current album, 300 Days At Sea
300 Days at Sea
300 Days At Sea is an album by Heather Nova, released in 2011. It was recorded in her home studio in Bermuda 2010. Nova recorded nineteen tracks although not all made the final album cut.The album was produced and recorded by Felix Tod and David Ayers using only solar power. It was recorded on a...
. This full-band album was released on May 27, 2011, using Pledge Music as the forum.
Personal life
Nova lives in Bermuda with her husband, music producer Felix Tod, and their son Sebastian (born in 2004).Albums
- Glow StarsGlow StarsGlow Stars is the debut album by Heather Nova, released in 1993 .-Track listing:All songs written by Heather Nova.#"Bare" – 4:24#"My Fidelity" – 4:21#"Spirit in You" – 4:00#"Shell" – 4:10#"Glow Stars" – 3:07...
(1993) - BlowBlow (Heather Nova album)Blow is a live album by indie rocker Heather Nova, released in 1993 .-Track listing:All songs written by Heather Nova.#"Light Years" – 5:24#"Sugar" – 6:48#"Maybe an Angel" – 6:31#"Blessed" – 2:37#"Mothertongue" – 3:21...
(live, 1993) - OysterOyster (album)Oyster is the second studio album by Heather Nova, released in 1994 .-Track listing:All songs written by Heather Nova.#"Walk This World" – 3:49#"Heal" – 3:55#"Island" – 6:20#"Throwing Fire at the Sun" – 5:57...
(1994) - UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#72 - Live From The Milky Way (live, 1995)
- SirenSiren (Heather Nova album)-Track listing:All songs written by Heather Nova.#"London Rain " – 3:49#"Blood of Me" – 3:59#"Heart and Shoulder" – 3:58#"What a Feeling" – 4:46#"Valley of Sound" – 4:20#"I'm the Girl" – 5:23#"Winterblue" – 4:56...
(1998) - UK #55 - WonderlustWonderlustWonderlust is a live album by indie rocker Heather Nova, released in 2000 .-Track listing:#"Winterblue" – 5:58#"Walk This World" – 4:20#"Island" – 5:51#"Heart and Shoulder" – 4:18#"Paper Cup" – 3:59...
(live, 2000) - South (2001)
- Storm (2003)
- Redbird (2005)
- The Sorrowjoy (2006)
- The Jasmine FlowerThe Jasmine Flower-Track listing:All songs written and performed by Heather Nova.#"Ride" – 3:26#"Beautiful Storm" – 3:24#"Maybe Tomorrow" – 3:57#"Out On A Limb" – 3:53#"Every Soldier Is A Mother's Son" – 3:12#"Out In New Mexico" – 3:28#"Looking For The Light" – 2:39...
(2008) - 300 Days at Sea300 Days at Sea300 Days At Sea is an album by Heather Nova, released in 2011. It was recorded in her home studio in Bermuda 2010. Nova recorded nineteen tracks although not all made the final album cut.The album was produced and recorded by Felix Tod and David Ayers using only solar power. It was recorded on a...
(2011)
Singles
- "Spirit In You" (1993)
- "Frontier" (1993)
- "Walk This World" (1994) - UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#69 - "Maybe An Angel" (1995)
- "Truth and Bone" (1996)
- "London Rain (Nothing Heals Me Like You Do)" (1998)
- "Heart & Shoulder" (1998)
- "I'm The Girl" (1999)
- "Gloomy Sunday" (1999)
- "Love Will Find You" (2000, with ATBATBATB may refer to:*The US Reorder tone is often referred to as an ATB, for All Trunks Busy*Active Time Battle system is a feature of role-playing games*Mountain bike is an off-road bicycle...
) - "Feel You Like A River" (2000, with ATBATBATB may refer to:*The US Reorder tone is often referred to as an ATB, for All Trunks Busy*Active Time Battle system is a feature of role-playing games*Mountain bike is an off-road bicycle...
) - "I'm No Angel" (2001)
- "Someone New" (2002, with EskobarEskobarEskobar is the name of a Swedish indie/pop band that was founded in 1996 some 30 kilometres north of Stockholm, in the small town of Åkersberga...
) - "Virus of the Mind" (2002)
- "River of Life" (2003)
- "Welcome" (2005)
- "Done Drifting" (2006)
- "Renegade", (2007, with ATBATBATB may refer to:*The US Reorder tone is often referred to as an ATB, for All Trunks Busy*Active Time Battle system is a feature of role-playing games*Mountain bike is an off-road bicycle...
) - "Made of Glass", (2007 with ATBATBATB may refer to:*The US Reorder tone is often referred to as an ATB, for All Trunks Busy*Active Time Battle system is a feature of role-playing games*Mountain bike is an off-road bicycle...
) - "Ride" (2008)
- "Higher Ground" (2011)
Heather Nova is popular in New Zealand with "Oyster" peaking at #23 and "Siren" peaking at #18 in the RIANZ Top 40. The single "Walk This World" peaked at #19 and still gets occasional radio play.
EPs
- Heather Frith Ep (1990)
- Spirit In You (1993)
- Live From The Milky Way (1995)
- The First Recording (1997) Reissue of Heather Frith Ep
- Together As One (2005, a fundraiser for the Bermuda Sloop Foundation)
- Higher Ground EP (2011)
External links
- Official Heather Nova website
- Discography and song list
- [ Biography] at Allmusic