Flowing with her trademark swaggering attitude, gritty lyrics and slick production, pop renegade Noga Erez has returned with her razor sharp new single, “NAILS"
Along with the new single, Erez has announced her signing to Neon Gold/Atlantic Records, revealed exclusively on Billboard.
Of the new partnership, Erez said, "I’m super excited to begin to work with the people of Atlantic/Neon Gold. This partnership is a big step for me. We’ve already started to get the ball rolling creatively and we have some big plans ahead of us."
Neon Gold Co-Founder Derek Davies shared, “Neon Gold has long been defined by iconoclastic international pop talents — from Charli XCX and MARINA to Tove Lo and Christine And The Queens — and we are thrilled to welcome the genreless and borderless Noga Erez to the fold as one of the most visionary artists we've ever had the pleasure of working with.” Atlantic Records SVP, A&R Jeff Levin & A&R Director Madison Vickery added, “Noga Erez breaks down the barriers of genre with a unique creative vision that plays with elements of pop, alternative, R&B and rap.
Erez represents another leap forward for the label and for music. Their live show brings stadium level energy to every room. We’re proud to welcome her to our roster and provide a platform for her creative vision.”
On “NAILS” Erez and her collaborative and life partner Ori Rousso playfully explore the grip that takes hold when jealous thoughts flood our consciousness, fleshing them out with defiant beats and her effortless vocal flow. With a talent and style as formidable as her own, even Erez isn’t safe from the wrath of the green-eyed monster. Rather than run from this negativity, she tackles the gargantuan emotion head on with humor and wit, minimizing it with her animated mantra “I’ll bump a bitch / flesh pieces in my nails.”
“‘NAILS’ is a song about jealousy, and how being jealous of people, in this particular case another woman, makes you idealize that person in a very weird and dark way,” Erez comments. This is something that Erez explores in the track’s accompanying video, directed by Indy Hait.
“The video features me and a group of characters who all look completely different and weird, but they all look like they're about to do something really big,” Erez explains. There is a real tension as if something is about to happen. What we are actually walking towards is a woman who looks like a model. She has that typical / classic body image. The unrealistic societal standards of beauty - skinny, tall, sexy, flawless. She's walking in slow motion, and as we all come into the same shot, you realize that she is actually ten times our size.Then there is a David and Goliath type of situation where I take out a slingshot and shoot her straight in the forehead and she drops dead. It’s very weird and ugly and funny.” With these absurdly themed visuals, Erez bites back against her jealous doubts, making light of their negative grip.
The deeply satisfying sound of Erez tapping her own nails on different surfaces also underscores the new anthem. Their crunch adds a palpable, physical energy to the song, further emphasizing the sharp humor that fuels her fierce words. “I look at my nails a lot and I am always making sounds with them. They’re an extension of my playful self,” Erez comments. Armed with her embellished fingertips, she gleefully antagonizes her jealous thoughts, imagining her own nails as an amusing weapon with which to take down her adversaries.
An acclaimed live performer, Erez has sold out shows at legendary venues including LA’s El Rey and NY’s Bowery Ballroom. Erez is slated to play Bonnaroo and Summerfest this summer and will be supporting Tove Lo and Florence And The Machine on select US tour dates.
Eileen Carpio