Nieve Ella – 'How Long Will It Take?' review: big emotional theatre on her debut
The British singer and guitarist releases her first album. NME praises her most personal songwriting yet, between dreamy indie melodies and gritty guitars.
Photo: Paul Hudson from United Kingdom / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Single video: YouTube · Nieve Ella · youtube.com
Single: Drive
British singer and guitarist Nieve Ella releases her debut album 'How Long Will It Take?' on 16 October via Artist Theory. Her first EP, 'Young & Naive', came out in 2023. With the single 'Drive', co-written with Finn Marlow and produced by Jamie Rendle, she opened a new chapter in March – driving serves as an image for taking control of her own life.
Britain's NME (review by Liberty Dunworth, 13 October) says Ella achieved her goal of making the album sound like a big theatre piece. The record blends hazy indie melodies, tender lyrics and gritty guitars and is her most personal and ambitious work yet. The review sees the contrast between the bold single 'Drive' and the more subdued 'At Any Cost' as proof of her range.
Weaker, according to NME, are tracks such as 'Romance Is A Desert' and 'Love:Hate', which play it safe and are less likely to resonate – though they may work well live. Overall, NME hears a self-assured debut that balances vulnerability with creative fearlessness.