Nao (singer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nao
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Nao in 2018
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| Birth name | Neo Jessica Joshua |
| Born | 22 December 1987 Nottingham, England |
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| Years active | 2014–present |
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Neo Jessica Joshua (born December 20, 1987), known as Nao, is an English singer, songwriter, and music producer. She grew up in East London. Her music mixes soul, electronic music, funk, and R&B. Nao even created her own term, "wonky funk", to describe her unique sound.
She has released several albums. Her first album, For All We Know, came out in 2016. Her second album, Saturn, followed in 2018. Her most recent album, And Then Life Was Beautiful, was released in 2021.
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About Nao's Early Life
Nao is the youngest of five children in her mother's home. She is the only child of her mother and father. Her parents raised her together as friends, splitting their time between London and Nottingham. Nao dedicated her song "Another Lifetime" to her mother. Her family background includes Jamaican, Vincentian, and Grenadinian roots.
Nao studied vocal jazz at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London. Before becoming a solo artist, she sang backup for other musicians. These included artists like Kwabs and Jarvis Cocker. For six years until 2014, she was part of an all-girl a cappella group called The Boxettes.
Nao's Music Career
Nao started her music journey by releasing her first EP, So Good, in October 2014. An EP is like a mini-album with fewer songs. This EP quickly became popular, reaching number 4 on the iTunes electronic music chart. The main song from the EP was played on BBC Radio 1 and BBC 1Xtra in the UK.
In May 2015, she released her second EP, 15 February (II MMXV). The music website Pitchfork praised it as "Best New Music." Later that year, Nao was nominated for "Best Newcomer" at the 2015 MOBO Awards.
Nao also worked with other famous artists. She sang and helped write the song "Superego" on Disclosure's album Caracal, which was a number 1 album in the UK. In 2016, the BBC named her third in their "Sound of..." list, which highlights new artists to watch. She also helped write a song called "Velvet / Jenny Francis (Interlude)" for Stormzy's first album, Gang Signs & Prayer.
First Album and Awards
Nao's first full album, For All We Know, came out on July 29, 2016. This album earned her a nomination for "Best British Female Solo Artist" at the Brit Awards.
In 2017, Nao released a new song called "Nostalgia." She told her fans she was working on her second album. She also helped write the song "Nothing Else!" for Mura Masa's first album.
Second Album and Grammy Nomination
In 2018, Nao released "Another Lifetime," a song she co-wrote and produced. She also performed live with the legendary band Chic and Mura Masa on the song "Boogie All Night." This song was part of Chic's 2018 album, It's About Time.
Her second album, Saturn, was released on October 26, 2018. This album was very successful. It was nominated for "Album of the Year" at the Mercury Prize in 2019. It also received a nomination for "Best Urban Contemporary Album" at the 62nd Grammy Awards in 2020.
On July 29, 2021, Nao shared details about her third album, And Then Life Was Beautiful. It was released on September 24, 2021.
Nao's Personal Life
On January 15, 2020, Nao announced that she was going to have her first child. She gave birth to a baby girl on June 11, 2020. In 2021, Nao shared that she would not be able to tour for her third album. This was due to a health condition called chronic fatigue syndrome, which makes her very tired.
Images for kids
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Nao in 2018
