Two years after the incredible For All We Know album, Nao releases her highly-anticipated, absolutely mesmerizing sophomore album Saturn, which is available now at all digital retail providers via Little Tokyo Recordings/Sony Music Entertainment UK/RCA Records.
0Nao elevates into new realms of artistry in this deeply reflective, emotional project. Saturn is a journey, stemming from a place of both vulnerability and immense power, adorned by masterful musicality and poetic lyricism. Nao tells stories through her music, flowing freely between genres and influences, producing a sound which is uniquely her own and completely unforgettable. Saturn touches the soul and leaves no doubt that the phenomenal songstress is a true and complete artist – captivating, pioneering and absolutely unmatchable. The singles “Another Lifetime,” “Make It Out Alive” ft. SiR, “Curiosity,” and “If You Ever’ ft. 6lack” have been collecting praise from fans and critics alike, making the album one of the most eagerly-awaited releases of this year.
Nao also announced her world tour. Starting off in Japan, she will then go on to perform in North America and Europe, concluding with a show in London’s Brixton Academy on March 28th.
On Saturn, Nao is bold and experimental, eager to push things forward and unafraid to offload ideas that have been weighing her down. “My friends kept telling me about the term ‘Saturn Returns,’” says Nao. “It’s this idea that Saturn takes 29 years to orbit from when you’re born and it is the planet of blessings and growth. So by the time you’re around 29, between 27 and 32, something big happens in your life. It’s like waking up and coming of age, like: ‘I’ve been going through my twenties and what have I been doing in this relationship?’ What have I been doing in this job?’ You start to rethink everything – old stuff that your parents taught you or ideas that you believed in. It’s like a complete shedding of skin and it can be painful.”
There’s a real sense push and pull to Saturn — it’s complex and conflicted, but there’s a pervading optimism that makes it timeless, just like Nao herself. “It’s not just about heartbreak, it’s a sense of rebirth,” she says. “It’s soul-searching, you know?”
Japan
Thu 6 Dec – WWWX, Tokyo, Japan
North America
Sat 12 Jan – Vogue Theatre, Vancouver, BC
Sun 13 Jan – Showbox, Seattle, WA
Mon 14 Jan – Wonder Ballroom, Portland, OR
Wed 16 Jan – The Warfield, San Francisco, CA
Fri 18 Jan – The Novo, Los Angeles, CA
Sat 19 Jan – Observatory – North Park, San Diego, CA
Sun 20 Jan – The Observatory, Santa Ana, CA
Tue 22 Jan – Metro Music Hall, Salt Lake City, UT
Wed 23 Jan – Gothic Theatre, Englewood, CO
Fri 25 Jan – Fine Line Music Café, Minneapolis, MN
Sat 26 Jan – Concord Music Hall, Chicago, IL
Sun 27 Jan – Majestic Theater, Detroit, MI
Tue 29 Jan – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, ON
Wed 30 Jan – Corona Theatre, Montréal, QC
Fri 01 Feb – Royale, Boston, MA
Sat 02 Feb – Terminal 5, New York, NY
Mon 04 Feb – Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA
Tue 05 Feb – The Fillmore, Silver Spring, MD
Thu 07 Feb – Masquerade, Atlanta, GA
Europe/UK
Thu 07 Mar – Paradiso, Amsterdam, NL
Fri 08 Mar – Gaite Lyrique, Paris, FR
Sat 09 Mar – Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, BE
Mon 11 Mar – Luxor, Cologne, DE
Wed 13 Mar – Vega, Copenhagen, DK
Thu 14 Mar – Mojo, Hamburg, DE
Fri 15 Mar – Kesselhaus, Berlin, DE
Wed 20 Mar – Albert Hall, Manchester, UK
Thu 21 Mar – Beckett Student Union, Leeds, UK
Fri 22 Mar – 02 Institute, Birmingham, UK
Sun 24 Mar – Vicar Street, Dublin, IE
Tue 26 Mar – O2 Academy Bristol, Bristol UK
Thu 28 Mar – O2 Academy Brixton, London, UK