Neela unveils her latest single, “Exposed”
Neela is a multi-talented R&B singer-songwriter based between Toronto and Vancouver. A lover of the arts, the songstress has found creative outlets in the local theatre and music scenes of her respective cities.
Her latest release, “Exposed,” is the title track from her upcoming third EP, produced by Grammy-nominated producer Akeel Henry and Kofo (Giveon, Loony, Shawn Mendes).
This gentle and sweetly sung release is a stripped-back declaration of love for her partner and a renewed sense of self-love, which Neela developed through her experience of weight loss, grappling with the insecurities that years of scrutiny and bullying left her with.
“Exposed” charts the journey that Neela has been on to accept her story, body, and identity – loose skin, stretchmarks, and all.
Listen to “Exposed” below, and learn more about Neela via our Five Questions With segment.
Care to introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Neela, I’m an R&B singer-songwriter, with influences of Jazz and sometimes Indian Classical infused into my music. I live in Toronto, born in Vancouver, and my roots are from Northern India.
Tell us a bit about your most recent release.
The song is called “Exposed,” it’s produced by grammy-nominated Akeel Henry, Kofo, and myself. I used to weigh 240 lbs. For most of my life, I’ve been scrutinized and bullied for my body size. Although my body went through a transformation, it also left stretch marks and loose skin. These experiences created a lot of insecurities, and it’s been a journey to accept and love my story, body, and identity. This song is the beginning of my process of sharing my insecurities, shame, and vulnerability. It’s raw, honest, and bare.
Where do you tend to pull inspiration from when writing?
For a lot of my projects, I write about my life and the people close to me. But I also love co-writing with friends and using my imagination or movies or writing from other people’s experiences. I’m actually working on a project right now where I draw inspiration from my dreams, so it really varies from song to song.
Do you have any upcoming shows or festivals you’d like to tell us about?
I’m performing in Vancouver and Toronto for So Far Sounds. Oct 2nd is my next one in Vancouver, I’ll be posting more on my IG @neelamusic.
What’s your goal for 2022?
I’m working on a visual album for the Exposed project, so we’re working on the script and story, and I’m really excited to bring it to life this year and start shooting for it. Another goal would be to meet more dope musicians and artists and be able to collaborate on shows, songs, and creative projects. And then myself, I really take care of myself and all aspects of my health in the midst of the hustle of life.