Indie-pop songwriter and artist NIVIRA blends the dynamic and colourful backdrops of modern pop music, with confident and joyful vocals, and the juxtaposed depth of profoundly vulnerable but essentially hopeful lyrics.
She Blooms Anyway is a three-track EP that’s instantly distinct – long-form verses dive into an introspective set of reflections that feel both personal and relatable in the modern realm. The idea was for the artist to process her own emotions and anxieties through music, and the result is music that in turn provides that same sense of understanding and escapism for listeners from the weight of self-doubt.
As an introduction, PositiviTEA is a brilliantly fun and revealing ode to precisely the qualities and intentions defined above. It’s an uplifting, celebratory indie pop track, and it showcases the vocal fluidity and diary-like lyrical honesty of NIVIRA perfectly well.
Despite the angst and uncertainty of the verses, the song is ultimately focused on overcoming, on strength and possibility, and that trait resounds throughout this full EP.
Prejudice & Pride is somewhat more playful and rhythmically catchy – shorter lines, a strong rhythm, a listing format that’s instantly directed at the audience. Again we counter the negative with the positive, exploring the topic of breaking free from judgement – that of ourselves and others – through a process of observation and evocative evolution. It’s another fun pop track, with a clear change in tempo and production choices as the intricacies of the song gather momentum.
Arrangement matters, and wrapping things up is an unexpected but well-placed acoustic guitar track. Be Okay is quirky and memorable, vocally breathy and gentle, with poetic images and ideas scattered throughout a wave-like melodic mix that strikes with a naturally timeless aura.
Optimism rings louds as ever, and NIVIRA’s unique and distinct voice sounds beautiful in this stripped-back, contemplative setting. The melodies and the instrumental set-up, the realism and depth of the lyrics, all connects and captivates from start to finish.
It’s a gorgeous song, and a great way to close down the hopeful purpose and presence of She Blooms Anyway. This balancing of the harsh difficulties of modern living, with the crucial gratitude and optimism that reminds us to push through, is more needed than ever right now.
“Darling, remember – just breathe.”
Find NIVIRA on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook & her Website.
