Nadine Shah

Nadine Petra Katarina Shah (born 16 January 1986) is a British singer and songwriter.

Shah was born in Whitburn, South Tyneside, to an English mother from South Shields of part Norwegian ancestry and a Pakistani father.

She moved to London at the age of 17 to start her career as a jazz singer.

Shortly after moving, she became close friends with Amy Winehouse.

Her debut album, the Ben Hillier-produced Love Your Dum and Mad, was largely inspired by the tragic deaths of two young men.

"There are two boys that this album is predominantly about," she continues.

"During the period of time these songs were written two very close friends took their own lives."

Shah is a keen speaker on the subject of social stigmas towards those suffering from mental health illnesses.

Shah and Hillier released their second record titled Fast Food in April 2015.

She also made a guest appearance on two tracks of Ghostpoet's album, Shedding Skin, which was released in March 2015.

In February 2016, Hillier and Shah scored the music to the Northern Stage production of Get Carter.

This included original pieces and the re-imagining of music by North East band The Animals.

Her album Holiday Destination was released in August 2017.

It was again produced by Hillier, who also plays drums in Shah's live band.

The album was nominated for a Mercury Prize in 2018.

In November 2019, along with 34 other musicians, Shah signed a letter endorsing the Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn in the 2019 UK general election with a call to end austerity.

The fourth studio album Kitchen Sink came out on 26 June 2020 and found much acclaim of critics.

In some of the lyrics she considers what it means to be a thirtysomething woman today.

At the time Shah's mother was terminally ill, influencing significant elements of the album with themes of pending loss and the impact not only upon herself but also her father, (in the song "Prayer Mat").

The timing of the release placed it within the challenges of covid restrictions affecting all of the UK, meaning tours and appearances were no longer possible.

Shah continued to widely promote the album where possible, including a well-received virtual "meet & greet" on the QJam platform.

She eventually got the chance to perform the album live, appearing at the Edinburgh Festival in August 2021 with a full song-by-song performance of Kitchen Sink, including some older tracks in the encore.

Shah provided testimony to the UK government's Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee as part of an ongoing probe into the economics of music streaming in November 2020, citing a lack of transparency regarding musicians' royalty payments.

Following a period of personal turmoil Shah performed an intimate career-spanning concert in a rehearsal space in Brighton on the 19th of July 2022, with a capacity of only 100 guests.

On February 23rd 2024, she released her fifth album "Filthy Underneath" to much critical acclaim.

Reflecting the Kitchen Sink songs "Wasps Nest" and "Prayer Mat" Shah continues the theme of grief and loss, and navigates with brutal honesty through her own recent experiences of addiction and rehab.

In contrast with Kitchen Sink, Filthy Underneath is supported by widespread touring of the new album as both headliner (in concert venues and a number of store gigs) and also in support of acts Depeche Mode and, later in the year, Elbow at Ludlow Castle.

Shah has been compared to other female artists such as PJ Harvey and Siouxsie and the Banshees, and is noted for the theatricality of her voice.

An interview by John Freeman for The Quietus highlighted that "Mental health is a hugely important issue for Shah."

Shah suffers from endometriosis.

She is a Muslim, and of her career in music, she said "[if] it inspires any young Muslim women to pick up a guitar and play a song, that’s brilliant".

She is separated from filmmaker Matthew Cummins.

The couple previously lived together in Ramsgate, Kent.

Following the death of her mother from cancer in August 2020, Shah developed PTSD.

She struggled with addiction and attempted to commit suicide around Easter 2022, before moving into a rehab facility for two months.

Shah currently resides in Newcastle.

In 2020, she voiced her support for the newly-elected Labour Party leader Keir Starmer.

Albums

Extended plays