Introducing: Ouida

Fans of Joy Crookes and Arlo Parks will find a lot to like in the vocal prowess of Ouida. Her recent Nice To Meet You single caught our interest, its summery RNB tones being a particular highlight. We spoke to Ouida about the song and much, much, more.

Could you tell us a bit about Ouida?

I’m a singer-songwriter from San Francisco and I like to write songs that sit between pop, r&b and soul.

What inspires you to write?

Mostly high highs and low lows — All my songs are really personal reflections of feelings at their strongest; When I’m learning something new about myself, or feeling my way through new experiences, I use songwriting as a way to unpack it and understand, sink into, or relive it.

Who would you say has had the most influence on your sound?

Definitely the female powerhouses of jazz and rock; Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald records, but also Janis Joplin. Whenever I scat a little bit, that’s a piece of Ella coming through. When I wail, that’s Janis.

What has been the biggest highlight so far of your musical career?

It really sort of just started! What stands out the most is probably teaching myself how to produce at the start of the pandemic and making all the music videos. Just gaining confidence in my ability to bring the vision in my head to life and learn what I don’t know.

What song can you not resist singing along to?

Where do I start — What comes to mind is A Boy Named Sue by Johnny Cash, Wagon Wheel, by Old Crow Medicine Show, anything Amy Winehouse, Make Me Proud by Drake… THERE’S A LOT

What artist or producer would you love to work with in the future?

Hands down Mark Ronson — LET’S GO. I’m putting it out into the universe. We got records to make lol!!!

What other bands or musicians are you listening to right now?

I’m the worst at keeping up with “new” music, so the songs on repeat are always what I randomly stumble upon and fall in love with. Right now, that includes Kate Bush (thanks Stranger Things) and a lot of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. I’ve also been revisiting a lot of English rapper Plan B’s The Defamation of Strickland Banks.

Do you have one piece of advice for anyone starting to make music?

Yeah — your job isn’t to judge it, just make it. Sometimes you hear something too many times and you change, and it’s lost its relevance to you. Put it out anyway. Do what you can with what you have, and let it have a life of its own, and then create something new.

Was there a specific moment of inspiration behind the lyrics of Nice To Meet You?

During the pandemic, I went back to the house and neighborhood where I grew up and felt inspired to write about the experiences and people there that shaped me. My dad had been diagnosed earlier in the year with MSA, and I needed a way to work through that. I try to honor him in the lyrics; the lessons he taught me and the authenticity and pride he always had.

The video for Nice To Meet You has a very warm and comfortable feel to it. Where was it filmed?

Thanks! We shot it in San Francisco in both my childhood neighborhood and a lot of the areas that I grew up visiting frequently. It was a homage to the city I grew up in and all the little corners where the locals’ experiences happen.

What’s up next for Ouida in terms of gigs, new music…?

I have an upcoming single that’s coming out at the beginning of October, and a collaboration on Ruby Ibarra’s upcoming album releasing around the same time. There’s a lot more music piling up for an EP that’ll be out in early 2023 too!

Nice To Meet You can be streamed on all major digital platforms, including Apple Music – click here for more details. To find out more about the music of Ouida, check out their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram socials.