‘Rapunzel’ by thenaland

With her newest single ‘Rapunzel’, indie pop artist NALA, releasing music under the name thenaland, unveils a sweeping and emotionally complex track that cements her status as one of the most compelling new voices in the genre. A seamless fusion of classical instrumentation and contemporary introspection, ‘Rapunzel’ stands out not only for its sonic beauty but for the sheer depth of vision behind it.

What makes ‘Rapunzel’ especially striking is that every element—lyrics, composition, orchestration, and performance—comes directly from NALA herself. She wrote and composed the song, arranged its sweeping orchestral textures, and performed the piano with stunning precision. The result is a track that feels intensely personal, carefully sculpted, and unmistakably hers.

Lyrically, ‘Rapunzel’ offers a poetic unravelling of the subtle ways women are conditioned to accept restriction as love. NALA avoids heavy-handed metaphors in favour of elegant ambiguity, allowing the listener to step into the emotional undercurrent of the song and find their own meaning. Her vocals, soft and haunting, stretch between restraint and release—mirroring the very themes the song seeks to explore.

The audio, handled by longtime partner Jeremy Zheng, brings clarity and balance to NALA’s intricate arrangement. His mixing and mastering elevate the orchestral layers without overshadowing the intimacy of her voice, creating space for every emotion to land with full weight. Together, NALA and Jeremy craft a listening experience that is cinematic in scale yet deeply introspective.

Released under her creative identity thenaland, ‘Rapunzel’ marks a pivotal moment in NALA’s evolution—both as an artist and as a storyteller. It’s a rare track that manages to feel delicate and thunderous at once, inviting listeners into a sonic world where nothing is accidental. With more self-produced material on the horizon, thenaland is not just a name—it’s a world she’s building, one vivid, emotionally fearless song at a time.