Whatever I feel like doing is what I’m going to do: In Conversation with Paradise
Illustration by Shamma.
In 2019, a friend of mine couldn’t stop talking about this live performance she had seen. After some digging, we found her socials and were instantly obsessed. I invited Nuha (Paradise) a few months later to a WarmBlue launch party, a zine collective I founded, and was charmed by her presence. When Sumou asked me to sit down with Nuha over Zoom, I couldn't wait to talk about her song Good Luck Sleepin’, feeling the grunge, her biggest inspirations, the emerging Saudi art scene, and more!
MAWADAH NOFAL: One thing that really drew me to your music is that “bedroom pop” feel. Did you always know what type of music you wanted to make? And what was the process of finding your style?
NUHA: I don’t know if what I’m doing right now is my style yet, I’m still discovering myself. Right now, I’m into grunge and hard rock so I’m leaning into that. I still like the Good Luck Sleepin’ vibe but I don’t want to limit myself to one set style, whatever I feel like doing is what I’m going to do.
Speaking of Good Luck Sleepin’, I thought it was an amazing collaborative effort with so many other artists. Tell me about the process of what it was like making music with others.
Everything started moving so rapidly. I started writing it in August 2019 after an open-mic I did where I also met those other artists, so it started from there. Actually, with Good Luck Sleepin’, I had a dream with someone saying the first few lines in that same melody! I wrote it down as soon as I woke up and completed the rest of the song with the Aux group. It was nice to explore different tastes and having it run by different people, it made it feel very intentional. I’d write while they played the music, so we were constantly taking inspiration from each other. We argued a bit over the rain sounds at the beginning of the song—everyone thought it was weird except Moodz, the producer, so he put it in in the most delightful way. It wasn’t this extreme thing added to the song but it was a touch I needed to add.
Almost like a collaboration with nature too! This issue of Sumou’s is about rebirth and shedding skin, how does that resonate with you and your creative work?
When I wrote my first song Good Luck Sleepin’, I thought I was in my forgiving phase, like, “Yeah, I made it right now, I don’t need anyone right now.” It was accurate at the time, but it’s been two years and I thought I was in the ‘forget and forgive’ phase but now I’m in like, the anger phase where everything is hardcore. I don’t know if this is the ultimate and final part of myself that’s going to show as an artist, I don’t think it’s going to stop right now but I’m definitely changing and shedding my skins.
I can’t wait for the grunge that will come out of this era!
[Laughs] Yeah, I have a new song coming out soon called Darkest Wishes. I started working on it a year ago with Gimmix, and it’s a darker aspect of the same subject [of my previous music]. I wanted to address the realizations you have when you think of something you were experiencing. It’s a darker, more mature way of seeing Good Luck Sleepin’.
Who would you say are your biggest inspirations when it comes to music, and what are some of your favorite albums?
My ultimate favorite album is To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar. I also like Jazz by Queen and Nevermind by Nirvana. I look up to Freddie Mercury and the way he expresses himself on stage. With Kurt, I admire how real and organic he is, it’s so raw and I can see that depth even when there is none. With Kendrick, I really see how anger can turn into art. I saw an interview about how he gets an idea for a lyric and lets it cook in his mind for months, and I feel like that’s really the best way to find the final potential for a thought.
The Saudi creative scene has been changing so much the past few years, how do you feel about the direction it’s been taking, and are there any Saudi or Saudi-based artists you’ve been especially loving
Well, I have especially been loving Gimmix. I love working with them, too. I appreciate how open we are to more experimental art rather than just the norm. Am I excited to be an artist during this time? Yeah, it just feels so in place. The moment I started wanting this, there were so many others doing their own projects. I love seeing and working with all these people. It feels so right to be able to take these steps. ◆
Mawadah Nofal is an Egyptian artist and writer. She is the founder of WarmBlue Collective, a Riyadh-based art collective and zine for WANA teens. She also writes a monthly column for Mathqaf called Mawadah fel Zaman, which explores art and art history in the region. Her work has been published in Rusted Radishes, Unootha Mag, and more. Find her on Instagram or wandering through an art museum.