néomí is the musical moniker of the Surinamese-Dutch songwriter Neomi Speelman, who has emerged with the grace of petals floating on a breeze with her debut single “if i wasn’t made for love”. She reveals about the song:
“’if i wasn’t made for love’ was written in a time where I doubted love in the most possible way ever. And let’s be honest, love is the most stupid thing in the world. Think about it: you want someone, you fall in love, you love each other, you hate each other, it hurts, you break up, and you keep doing that because every time you think once more ‘this is the one’.
“With ’if i wasn’t’ made for love’, I sing about the beauty and mystery of life. And what love brings to me, and I think also to others. The idea is: if life were simple, love would be simple as well. But in the end, it’s wonderful that love is complicated. I’d rather be ‘not made for love’ than understand it.”
Most if not all of us have had periods in our life where we think we’ll never find that one person we’re supposed to spend our lives with – but I doubt many of us have made it sound as beautiful and hopeful as néomí does here. It starts from a skeletal pop-folk backing that highlights her pristine vocal abilities and vivid view of the world, and builds into a transfixing gust of feeling. As instruments including banjo, drums and more bulk out the song, néomí’s voice rises in strength and is double tracked, coasting atop it all with natural verve. She doesn’t get more frustrated or downcast, but comes to a philosophical place, realising that much of love’s beauty comes from its elusiveness – and she imparts that lesson to us all in the warmest, tenderest way.
Watch the video for “if i wasn’t made for love” below, which finds the singer creating love in her own unusual way. Otherwise, find the song on streaming platforms.
