Ahead of their highly anticipated set at Latitude, we chat to rising star Nxdia about their festival memories so far and what's coming next.

Never one to play it safe, Egyptian-Sudanese alt-pop rising artist Nxdia’s debut mixtape I Promise No One’s Watching, jumps head first into the worlds of desire, identity and humanity, offering us a ferociously honest self-portrait. Firmly staking their claim as one of alt-pop’s most magnetic rising voices, with ten genre-surfing tracks that trace their journey through queerness, gender, self-doubt and radical self-acceptance, the project is as raw as it is universal.

 

Lead single ‘Body On Me’ is an instant summer anthem: all playful lust and dizzying vulnerability, weaving English and Arabic lyrics into a defiant declaration that love, in all its forms, deserves to be witnessed. Born in Cairo and raised in Manchester, Nxdia has always gravitated towards music as a way to process life’s contradictions: finding beauty in the chaos and power in oversharing. Now, with festival season in full swing and a riotous run of shows ahead, they’re stepping into their freest, most electrifying era yet.

 

We caught up with Nxdia as they prepared for their performance at Latitude to talk about falling in love with music, performing like Bowie and Prince, finding freedom in the mud and what they hope audiences take away from their riotous, heart-baring set.

Do you remember the moment you fell in love with music?

I love music, I’ve always loved music, since I was a kid. I’ve always really gravitated towards making it, making up melodies, writing, I felt like it just came so naturally to me, even though there wasn’t loads of music around the house growing up. My mum did introduce me to some of the greats, though: Janice Joplin, Tracy Chapman. But I think the first time I really realised it was the first gig I went to, which was Jon Bellion at Manchester Academy. I remember being in that tiny room, wearing heeled boots, because I was 14 and stupid. It was the moment where I was like – oh god, these songs that had just existed for me in my headphones transformed in front of my eyes. I felt so connected to everyone in that room, because we were all there for that, to see Jon, to see an artist. Like we all felt different things, but we were all completely focused and transfixed. I didn’t realise music could feel that way, and it really made me less nervous about wanting to play live, it made me more eager and excited!

Tell us about your most recent project, where do you feel like this is leading you to next?

I feel like I Promise No One’s Watching has helped me to open up in a way I haven’t been able to do before – not just to the outside, but to myself as well. It’s the next chapter for me. The last year has been such a messy and weird time, and in a way, very, very moulding. I feel like a different person to who I was 12 months ago, more like myself, more like how I felt when I was 15 and didn’t know anything about anything – freer. I’ve opened up with this record and I’ve allowed myself to write and feel certain things. To be able to have that out there, I just I’m so excited to reveal more and more, my background and who I truly am as a person. I’m so excited for the future, but I’m also so excited that I Promise No One’s Watching is out there!

Outside of music, where do you draw influence from?

Art, it’s poetry. I grew up on poetry. I grew up on painting, sketching, drawing. I’ve been super into things that feel like they exercise my imagination. Things are limitless in a way. We get so used to the world around us that we get kind of numb to it, whereas you can open up to your imagination and you can just enjoy that, and that’s a fucking superpower. Why wouldn’t you just make life way more fun?

How has the festival season been for you so far?

It’s really only just kicking off. Off to Prague for the first time soon, then Latitude of course… It’s going to be such a great summer! I’m playing in a lot of places I’ve literally never played in before, Milton Keynes, Suffolk, we’ve got Glasgow. I’m beyond excited, and I feel like I’m so ready for it, so pumped! And I can’t wait to share the new material and see how people react to it live.

What’s your earliest festival memory?

The first time I went was one that I was playing at, Sziget in Hungary, and god, I’m so happy that that’s my first memory! It was insane. I had always been more of a gig person, I’d go to see people specifically. Love them though and can’t wait for the summer!

What can people expect from your Latitude set?

Expect a fucking dance. Get a boogie on. Honestly, get your feet moving. If I don’t see them moving, I’m just gonna sing more, baby. Yeah, it’s gonna be super fun. Hot, sweaty, high energy. I’m so excited to share all of these songs.

Who are your inspirations when it comes to live performance?

I look up at people who I think are just phenomenal. When I’m thinking about people who are amazing live performers, I’m thinking Prince, I’m thinking Bowie, I’m thinking Jagger, Madonna, you know, incredible artists who are clearly, very much themselves, but exaggerated, full of life. These are people I aspire to. You know, I have a long way to go in so many ways, but I’m so eager, so eager to learn, to push myself and to make sure that I get to play as many shows as possible. Gotta get those first 100 shows done, and then, then we’re really rolling!

Who are you most excited to see at Latitude this year and what song are you looking forward to them performing?

Sorry! I bloody love Sorry!

What’s your ideal festival experience? 

I want to be in the mud, queens! I want to be in the mud. I went to scouts, I went to explorers. Yeah, it might not be very, very cool. However, it gave me an appreciation for sleeping bags and mud and axe throwing weirdly. As long as I’ve got good friends around me, people who don’t tap out early, and people who are willing to scream and dance in a field with me, that’s my ideal experience.

What do you hope the audience takes away from your festival set?

I hope they walk away feeling amazing. I hope they feel so good. I hope the music is as exciting for them as it is for me. And I just I can’t wait to see everyone’s reaction, how they feel about it. It’s going to be really beautiful.

What’s next for you?

Festival, gigs, touring all over Europe, writing more music, getting into the studio with more people, being creative, being me! It’s going to be busy, it’s going to be incredible!

Get tickets to Latitude here now and listen to I Promise No One’s Watching below.