Naëve is the professional name of London based singer/songwriter, Manuela Montesano. The word itself is a combination of the French ‘naïf’ (childlike innocent) and ‘eve’ (a restart). However, the artist’s stage persona is not just a name. It is a representation of an ideal. She explains, “Naëve was born from the instinctive desire to escape the daily routine, breaking the rules in search of happiness on our own terms and questioning ourselves with self irony.”
The singer is on a mission to help us all take ourselves a little less seriously, and have a lot more fun. She does so with child-like optimism a sound shaped by old-school R&B and Soul music. Her latest single is appropriately titled, “Joy.” The track is an upbeat Gospel tune led by a funky piano and soulful vocals.
A bluesy walking bass moves the song forward as a doo-wap choir plays a call-and-response with Naëve’s lead. She counts Aretha Franklin as her primary influence. You can hear the Queen of Soul’s imprint on “Joy.” And you can feel her influence in Naëve’s voice. The passionate performance is paired with a video that’s a little silly and a lot of fun. The camera follows the singer and her friends as they move between the neighborhood’s church and laundromat. Throughout their travels, the group continues dancing and singing.
Watch the video here and follow the links below to connect with Naëve. Stay in the loop on her current and future projects.