Kate Nash Kicks Off North American Tour
U.K. sensation Kate Nash is stealing the stage again, but this time it will be North American style.
Nash will kick off a brief North American tour to highlight the U.S. release of her full-length debut album "Made of Bricks."
"Made of Bricks" was released on Geffen Records today.
The tour began with a performance at the Mod Club in Toronto on Monday and now it's on to The Bowery Ballroom in New York City for a Jan. 9 show. Nash will then head to the west coast to 330 Ritch in San Francisco on Jan. 12 and then she'll travel to the Troubadour in Los Angeles for a performance on Jan. 14.
Nash began her career in an awkward manner - by falling down the stairs and breaking her foot, which ultimately was a blessing in disguise.
During her recovery, Nash, who was already an acoustic guitar player, began playing the electric guitar as a remedy for her boredom. Nash also penned lyrics, intertwining poetry and ordinary conversation.
By keeping it simple and not skirting around the truth about life and love, the 20-year-old discovered an interesting formula -- one that other women from her generation could relate to.
"It was about getting into the spoken word and punk music. It happened really naturally," Nash told The ShowBuzz in describing writing her racy, bitter, comical and sometimes vulgar lyrics.
"When you think about it, it's really tough to do, so I just really stopped thinking. The whole punk thing is really simple and basic." Nash said. "I found it really grounding and passionate -- with people wearing their heart on their sleeves and speaking out about what they care about, and I was, like, well I am going to do that."
There was a lot of Internet buzz around Nash's hit song "Foundations," which bumped up the release of her album "Made Of Bricks," which hit No. 1 on the U.K. charts.
Photos: British Music Awards
Like many other up-and-coming artists, Nash was able to use her MySpace page to create a solid platform to introduce and establish her music as well as create a dialogue with her fans.
"It's the tool of our generation really. It's what everybody uses now. It speeds things up a bit," Nash said. "Some people can have weird lives on the Internet and it never crosses over, but with 'Foundations' it was clear that it was transferring to real life and real people. It's a really great tool to get in touch with your fans."
Nash felt relieved to finally have a complete album after receiving so much press from "Foundations." With an album, she felt more settled and able to define herself as an artist.
"Made of Bricks" is a funky compellation of cool beats, rhythms and sound effects incorporating guitars, violins, keyboards and piano. The sounds are accompanied by Nash's London accent, which is overly emphasized to put a dramatic spin on the spoken word.
Born and raised in London to an English father and an Irish mother, Nash's upbringing exposed her to different genres of music. Her musical influences include Regina Spektor, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Carol King, as well as Celtic folk music such as The Dubliners, indie and punk music such as Bikini Kill and John Cooper Clarke, and hard-core punk music such as Gallows.
Nash is often compared to British singer Lilly Allen, who also uses strong intonation with her London accent. Allen has supported Nash by adding her demos to her MySpace page.
Although Nash respects Allen as an artist, she thinks that it's important to recognize that each artist has their own identity and individuality, instead of categorizing up-and-coming artists as "mini-Allens."
To purchase the album visit amazon.com
Link: "Made Of Bricks"
By Melissa Castellanos