Nush Lewis Releases New EP ‘Forgotten Verses,’ Announces Australia Tour  

Three years after her sophomore EP Bridges was released, Mumbai-based singer-songwriter and harpist Nush Lewis has now returned with her third EP, the just-released four-track Forgotten Verses. 

Over the last couple of years, Lewis has performed material from the new record at various gigs. According to the artist, the new songs are based on “old free verses written many moons ago.” She adds, “I actually couldn’t recollect the context in which they were written. So, it was almost like I had to interpret them for myself in that present moment.”  

Forgotten Verses opens with the piano-aided “Fly” before we hear crisp bass playing on “Your Story.” The record then moves forward with the ethereal “Stained” and closes with the melancholic pop offering “Found You.” Talking about the EP, Lewis says, “For me, overall, when you listen to all four pieces you can hear this narrative of failed or tainted relationships, abandonment but also finding oneself in their own strength.” The artist also explains how there are recurring themes in her songwriting as she points out that “Found You” is an extension of her song “Dim Lights” (off her 2015 debut EP Fused) and how “Stained” is her signature “dark song” as heard previously on tracks like “Frozen Eyes” (also off Fused) and “Lament” (off Bridges). “It’s also that signature song that is a tribute to my love of surrealism. I absolutely love playing with imagery like that and I think it’s becoming a trademark now,” she says. 

Lewis worked with her long-time producer Ayan De on the record. Speaking about the process they employed while making the EP, she says, “Ayan’s process was centered around the vocals, he made sure he didn’t overcrowd the songs. That is also Ayan’s style. He doesn’t over-produce a song.” Forgotten Verses was then mixed and mastered by Indo-American prog-rock band Skyharbor’s guitarist, Keshav Dhar. “He [Dhar] really made things shine without taking away from the feel of the songs,” says Lewis.  

Next month, Lewis will travel to Australia as part of her first official overseas tour and play a few shows there. The opportunity came about when former festival director of Bacardi NH7 Weekender Manish Chandnani, who now runs Blaide Live in Adelaide as a producer, promoter and touring agent, gave her a call. “He [Chandnani] is a promoter at the [festival] Adelaide Fringe this year and asked if I would be interested in playing.”  

On how she feels about the opportunity, Lewis says, “I think if anything, booking these gigs have been incredibly reassuring when it comes to my craft. For a city and a country that has no clue about who I am, we managed to book eight shows to be played in 10 days. And that’s in Adelaide alone. I will also be playing in Melbourne during the second half of my tour.” Upon her return to India, the singer-songwriter plans to do a tour on home shores too.  

Lewis was meant to launch the EP with a collaborative art installation, but that has been put on hold for now as she is looking for funding. The musician has also put her EP out as a digital purchase first before it hits streaming platforms. “The streaming economy doesn’t help artists at all and it almost devalues what we do as musicians. I think it’s important to assert that value on the craft, time and money spent to make music,” she says. There’s also going to be merch from the new EP as well as a jewelry collaboration with independent jewelry brand Onushshar by Zona Bera, which will include elements designed for the EP by Nishika Dsilva.  

After the Forgotten Verses release cycle is over, Lewis has a single due to be out later in the year in collaboration with Carnatic violinist Apoorva Krishna. She says, “I’m also hoping to play more gigs and festivals this year.” 

Buy ‘Forgotten Verses’ on Instamojo or on Bandcamp below. The EP will be available on streaming platforms on February 10th.