Turning whispers into shouts and rumours into reality, NALA is getting noticed on the Toronto music scene.
NALA is, of course, the alias of singer, songwriter & recording artist Nala Burdyna. With the help of emerging artists and industry veterans, NALA has molded a signature blend of RnB, NuJazz & Hip-Hop. At the heart of it all are refreshingly honest vocals.
“Singing is my artistic outlet – it allows me to express how and what I feel. Often times it feels more natural than speaking.” explains NALA.
From the onset of the first note it is clear that NALA’s song resonates with the truths of personal experience. NALA is currently in the studio gearing up to release her debut EP in summer of 2012, LoveChild, which embraces the many faces of Love and recalls its bountiful struggles and triumphs. Stories from the heart, told with the ease of someone who’s been there, failed once and tried harder. NALA’s debut 5-song EP was written with the help of her songwriting team: drummer/songwriter Dave Pake & keyboardist/songwriter Sebastian Buccioni. LoveChild is being produced by the Juno Award winning Orin Isaacs (The Mike Bullard Show, Canadian Idol, Canada’s Got Talent).
“Getting the opportunity to work with Orin on something so truly special and close to my heart, was honestly, a dream come true. He’s totally down to earth and funny and so relaxed…. It’s made the experience a lot of fun. Thanks to him we’ve all learned so much about songwriting, producing & recording in a pretty short amount of time.” says NALA.
Laying down a foundation of trunk rattling bass & beats, and convincingly marrying the albums many diverse influences, Isaacs reminds listeners that he’s still the man. Perhaps it is unexpected that NALA’s tender vocals should sit atop a groove so propelling. The secret to its success may also lie in the lush Rhodes Piano stylings of keyboardist Sebastian Buccioni, along with his handpicked selection of both vintage and modern synths. But then again, it might even have to do with the albums guitar collective, including Jarek Dabrowski & Dave Pake, delivering hauntingly memorable riffs on every track. Not one to be outdone, trumpeter Aurora Cowie also graces the album with sprinklings of her bebop-tinged melodies. While it is hard to say exactly how and why, all elements work in perfect harmony to both touch the soul and move the body.
NALA’s influences are both plentiful and diverse. They range from those which are immediately obvious such as: Alicia Keys, Erykah Badu, The Roots, and Canada’s own Ivana Santilli; to the those that become clear with more repeated listening, being: Sia Furler, Jamiroquai, the Late Great Michael Jackson, Feist, Broken Social Scene, Zero 7 and Corinne Bailey Rae.
Though still new on the scene, NALA’s accomplishments already range from performing at Yonge & Dundas Square (as part of the 9th Annual TD IRIE MUSIC FESTIVAL) and David Pecaut Square (for STREET ART SHOWCASE); to performing on TORONTO’S TALENT TV (first aired January 2011 and rebroadcasted several time since); to being invited to perform a full set live & in-studio telecasted globally on IMAGE FM – Canada’s Indie Music Superstation; to performing at the sold out United Way Rouge Masquerade Gala (hosted by Lainey from Laineygossip.com and Etalk)… just to name a few.
Nala Burdyna continues to contribute her vocal talents, outside NALA, to various in-studio sessions for television. Recently she was hired to co-write with Accrue Productions and was featured singing on the closing credits of two “Living in Your Car” episodes starring John Ralston, directed by Bruce McDonald. Producer, DJ Paul David of Burner Records, has also recently invited Nala to lend her voice to one of his upcoming Dub influenced tracks, to be released sometime in the near future. To add to the list, Nala was awarded 2011 Female Vocalist of The Year by ImageFM – Canada’s Indie Music Superstation.
With the next big thing always on her mind, Nala’s main goals are to continue to grow as an artist and continue to increase her presence in Canadian music scene. At the core Nala is a woman driven to succeed and to continually outdo herself. She continues to push boundaries as a musician, to evolve and move forward.