Introducing: Naomi Campbell

Liverpool-based Americana/Folk artist brings a soulful blend of storytelling and melody honed over years of live performances alongside names like John Calvin Abney, Campbell/Jensen, and Muireann Bradley. With shows at iconic venues like the Liverpool Philharmonic Music Room and London's Betsey Trotwood, and two heartfelt singles, Tuesday's News and This is Gold, under her belt, she’s now gearing up for her next release. Don't You Mind, dropping November 15th, showcases her reflective style, followed by a live rendition recorded at the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis on November 25th.

1. Your upcoming single "Don't You Mind" is set for release on November 15th. Can you tell us the story behind this song and what inspired it?

In 2021 a friend and I started a new project called Tin Can Voodoo for which we delved into classic Blues, Rock, R&B & Soul tracks performing with a full band every Wednesday night. Having been performing primarily as an Americana/Folk artist up until this point, being able to sing songs from powerhouse vocalists such as Aretha Franklin, Etta James and Bobbie Gentry inspired me to incorporate a little more drive and Soul into my own writing.

I wrote Don’t You Mind in September last year reflecting on being able to share your troubles with your other half and letting them carry some of the weight.

2. You've supported artists like John Calvin Abney and Muireann Bradley. How have those experiences influenced your approach to performing and songwriting?

Being asked to support touring artists is always a great opportunity when starting to build your own profile as it takes off some of the pressure of a headline show and you can still play to a full room. It’s also inspiring being able to see first hand the rewards of building your career to a point where the audience come to see you, buy your merchandise and sell out the venue as I’ve seen with some of the acts I’ve supported. It’s always humbling to be asked as well so that keeps me inspired to keep going and keep writing.

3. You've chosen to record a live version of "Don't You Mind" at the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis. What drew you to this iconic venue, and how did the atmosphere influence the performance?

I first visited Sun Studio in 2022 with some family and loved the intimacy of the studio and how everything was preserved from the 50’s right through and still in use for recording sessions. After that visit I always thought how amazing it would be to record there.

When I came back in 2023 last year I was lucky enough to fulfil this with a very impromptu session in what was easily one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. I had written Don’t You Mind just a few weeks before heading to Memphis for a trip and some shows, so I decided to record this track since it was fresh in my head and I was lucky enough to have my friend Charlotte Newman who was with me at the time (who also recorded a track) play on acoustic guitar, and Krista Lynne who worked at the Studio play on Fiddle.

4. Your previous releases, "Tuesday's News" and "This is Gold," were self-produced. How has your approach to production evolved with this new single?

I really enjoyed producing my first two singles from home with Robert Johnson and Dave O Grady. It’s easier to do when there’s no rhythm section to set up and you can record the acoustics/vocals from the comfort of your own home with no time restraints or added pressure.

With Don’t You Mind I wanted to take a different approach and have that full, live studio sound with the drums and bass tracked together and layers of instruments, including the gorgeous upright piano that was played on the track in Motor Museum by Ben Gordon. It’s also nice to have the full band studio version against the stripped back Sun Studio release.

5. As a solo Americana/Folk artist based in Liverpool, how do you find balancing the traditions of Americana with the distinct music culture of your hometown?

I think I moved to Liverpool because the music cultures between Ireland and Liverpool are actually very similar. There’s a huge Irish community here and with that comes a lot of the folk/Country music that I grew up with and led me to like minded people such as Karen Turley who I perform with in Motel Sundown. We’re from the same area back home but actually only met in Liverpool which is crazy.

Living in Liverpool has led me to lots of different sub cultures of the Americana genre such as Soul and Blues which I mentioned earlier and encouraged me to move out of my comfort zone and write/sing from a different place to my more traditional roots.