Introducing: Naomi Campbell

Naomi Campbell Is Done Holding Back — The Rising Soul Voice from Liverpool Steps Into the Spotlight

From the emerald echoes of Irish folk to the velvet textures of soul and R&B, Naomi Campbell’s sound is a journey through genre and emotion. Since launching her solo career in Liverpool in 2024, she’s racked up support slots with indie heavyweights, drawn acclaim from the likes of Earmilk and Hot Press, and even laid down vocals at Memphis’ legendary Sun Studio. Now, with her new single Remembering dropping May 9th and a string of live dates on the horizon—including a headline show in Camden—Naomi is proving that her blend of vintage soul, rich storytelling, and powerhouse vocals is anything but forgettable. We caught up with her to talk roots, reinvention, and the road ahead.

"Remembering" evokes a beautiful sense of nostalgia with its 60s and 70s soul influence—what drew you to that era sonically and emotionally?

I’ve always enjoyed music from that era, Fleetwood Mac, CSNY, Emmylou Harris. The California Laurel Canyon scene especially. But after I started singing with Tin Can Voodoo a few years ago I started covering more Soul, Blues and R&B, Aretha, Etta, Koko Taylor etc. So I think naturally I incorporated that earthier, soulful sound a little more into my own writing and tried to get the most out of my voice and writing as I could exploring new territory.

You launched your solo career in Liverpool just last year and have already supported artists like Chris Helme. How has that experience shaped your growth as a performer?

Support gigs are always a great way to improve and build a bit of a following I think especially in new cities and it takes a lot of the pressure of having to sell tickets etc. So I think it’s definitely helped me develop my stagecraft and work on some nerves! It’s always nice to be able to support artists that you enjoy listening to as well and it’s a great way to make new contacts and just network a little more. It’s definitely given me more confidence on stage also, the more gigs you play the easier it gets and it’s nice when intimate gigs become a regular part of the job and you relax into it more and think, I actually love my job!

You’ve blended genres like folk, Americana, soul, and R&B in your work—do you see your music as a reflection of your own personal evolution?

I think Liverpool is such a vibrant and expressive city for music so I personally enjoy collaborating a lot and that helps me to write in different genres with different musicians. For me, even though I’ve been a ‘professional’ musician for nearly 10 years I feel like I’m still learning and discovering new music that I enjoy all the time and for that reason I enjoy writing in different styles. Either way it all comes from the same source and one of the best parts about making music is the process and what you learn in that process, which I think has been a huge part of my personal growth as a musician.

Your vocals are often described as dynamic and evocative—how do you approach storytelling through your voice alone?

I would say dynamics have a lot to do with how you can evoke emotion in a song. On Tuesday’s News, the vocals are a lot softer as it suits the more intimate story behind the song, the main focus of that track is how the overall instrumentation and vocals leave the listener feeling rather than the vocals alone. Whereas with Don’t You Mind and Remembering, the main focus of those tracks are the vocals, as are a lot of the 60s Soul/Country records they were inspired by. There are still elements of a story but the vocals are at the forefront. 

“Don’t You Mind” and now “Remembering” both touch on themes of love and release—what’s been your emotional through-line as a songwriter in this chapter of your career?

Hmm.. that’s a hard one! But I’ll go for a line from Remembering: “Life was just holding me still for you, to walk right in and see me through.” I think that’s a nice thought as it implies life is a little bit slow until you find your person and you have someone to share all the best little experiences with!