Nico Paulo: Time

By Kerry Doole

Nico Paulo - Time (Forward Music Group): This week, highly-touted St. John’s based Portuguese-Canadian singer/songwriter Nico Paulo announced her self-titled debut album is set for release on April 7. A first single, Now Or Never, elicited rave reviews and is now followed up by Time.

In a label press release, Paulo explains that "Time is a song about friendship, admiration and change. It’s a dialogue between two characters that investigates the discrepancies between them — one is more rigid, and one is more free. This song is about the coming together and the nuance and beauty created by two opposing perspectives. They unite in a dance that forces them to reckon with time. And in this moment of change, they realize that they’re maybe not so different after all.”

Paulo possesses an instantly engaging voice, one that is both clear and unaffected, while the inventive production features crisp guitar and backing vocals. The accompanying animated video for Time was created by Sing Sing in Los Angeles, the award-winning creative duo known for work with Fleet Foxes and Dirty Projectors,.

Paulo's album was recorded in a lakeside cabin on Nova Scotia’s South Shore with producer/percussionist Joshua Van Tassel, co-production from Tim Baker (Hey Rosetta), and instrumentation from A-list St. John’s players.

She begins an East Coast tour in Fredericton tomorrow (Jan. 20) at the Shivering Songs fest, followed by shows in Halifax, West Dublin,  Charlottetown, Wolfville, and St. Andrews, with a March 31 show set at the NAC in Ottawa. A talent to be observed closely.

PR: Susan O'Grady,  New Moon Publicity