Amsterdam-based singer and songwriter Nina June took the first step on her journey when she left the seaside village of Castricum to pursue music at 17 years old. After years of quietly honing her skills, she made waves filtering restless wanderlust into lithe anthems of awakening. Nina has captivated listeners with a string of successful singles, sold out shows in North America and Europe, and received Amsterdam’s prestigious Zilveren Notekraker —an honor in celebration of “Promising New Talent". Today, she maintains her momentum with the latest EP 'Side A – Our Garden' (out now on Nettwerk Records).
Last year, she traveled to London to work with producer Duncan Mills (The Vaccines, Jake Bugg, James Murphy) for the first time. Together, they struck what she describes as “an immediate chemistry". After a handful of productive sessions, the global lockdowns commenced. With tour dates canceled, she faced a harsh reality, “I had to go home immediately, or I wouldn’t be able to get back to Amsterdam anymore.” Adapting to the changing circumstances, they conducted sessions both remotely and in-person. The end result is a collection of lush songs that pairs powerful, emotive vocals over dreamy production to beautifully convey the emotion of her storytelling.
Listen to Side A - Our Garden here
Nina recorded a livestream concert with a string quartet, performing the entire EP, including title track 'Our Garden'. You can watch the performance down below.
On the original recording, 'Our Garden' hinges on an organic drumbeat and acoustic strumming towards one final upbeat exhale. “Love can expand in troubled times,” Nina states. “A lot of times, a crisis or trouble is the perfect soil for growth. When I wrote the song, we were all stuck in our homes. I spoke to so many friends who felt lonely. So many bad things got worse. It also worked the other way around. If a relationship was good, it grew. ‘Our Garden’ follows a couple who watches through the window as rain pours into the garden. They’re witnessing the seeds and plants grow.” In the end, Nina never stops growing.
To celebrate the release, Nina announced a series of 2021 & 2022 tour dates in The Netherlands:
17.07.2021 Amsterdam, NL @ Vondelpark Openluchtheater (with Someone)
14.08.2021 Laren, NL @ Mañaña Mañaña
02.12.2021 Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg
03.12.2021 Rotterdam, NL @ De Doelen
11.12.2021 Den Bosch, NL @ Willem Twee - Toonzaal
12.12.2021 Zwolle, NL @ Hedon
05.02.2022 Utrecht, NL @ Tivolivredenburg
