From the smouldering ashes of memory and betrayal, Naomi Neva’s latest single, Burning, rises as a raw and fearless anthem of reckoning. It’s a song that speaks and sears. Fueled by the visceral urgency of a wildfire, literal and emotional, “Burning” showcases Naomi’s signature blend of gritty alt-rock and introspective folk, but with a sharper edge, a louder cry. Anchored by a fierce guitar hook and her unmistakably emotive vocals, the track channels grief, rage, and resilience into something cathartic and unforgettable.
Naomi Neva has always written from the margins of vulnerability, but “Burning” marks a turning point: a move from inward reflection to outward confrontation. Inspired by a childhood evacuation during a wildfire in the Oakland hills, an experience etched into her psyche, Naomi revisits that moment through the haze of present-day climate collapse and personal unravelling. Her lyrics are unflinching: “You said we’d be safe, but the sky turned red,” she sings, her voice cutting through the distortion like a flare. There’s no pretence here, but a blistering honesty and the courage to name what’s broken.
Raised in the eucalyptus forests of the East Bay, Naomi’s music has always carried the scent of smoke and soil. After fronting a punk band with her sisters as a teen, she stepped away from music, only to return years later, creatively reborn and more vulnerable than ever. Since 2023, she’s built a following with songs that read like diary entries but hit like protest chants. From the tender in Parking Lots to the critically praised Ernestine, Naomi has become a voice for those navigating the emotional aftershocks of loss, change, and survival. “Burning” continues the journey with a louder heartbeat and a sharper bite.
Self-produced in her Oakland home studio and mastered at the iconic Abbey Road Studios, the track is sonically intimate but far-reaching in scope. The production is deliberate and gritty without being chaotic, controlled but never cold. Naomi’s voice remains the centre of gravity: tremulous and defiant, it flickers between vulnerability and fury. The choruses surge with fuzzed-out guitars, while the verses retreat into quieter, smouldering spaces, mirroring the emotional cycles of shock, reflection, and defiance. There’s a cinematic quality like watching a landscape ignite in slow motion.
“Burning” is about the pain of watching what you love get consumed, whether by flames, betrayal, or systems that promised protection but delivered disaster. And yet, beneath the smoke, there’s a pulse of strength, survival, and a voice refusing to be silenced. Naomi Neva has created something that feels deeply personal and undeniably universal. In a world unravelling, “Burning” is the sound of someone standing in the ruins and daring to sing anyway.
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