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The first time I encountered Audrey Nugent, of the musical duo Nugent&Belle, was after a John Rocha show where as one of Ireland’s top models she had danced down the runway alongside Kate Moss and Naomi C. What was relevant about this meeting, in the context of her musical career, is just how much her outward appearance obscured her true talent – a rich and deeply lyrical voice that is almost at odds with her waif-like fairness.
Fast forward several years to 2,000 and, due to this halo of loveliness, she, along with Amy Belle and Charity Hair, were cast in the role of manufactured pop idols in the Alice Band. During the era preceding the X-Factor and following in the wake of girl-band mania induced by the Spice Girls and propagated by MTV, it seemed that money could afford enough style over substance to speed up the artistic process and churn out some fast buck chart toppers.
“We were thrown into this situation – we were a big signing for a small label that had a lot of money behind it – but we had no control. So everything from the colour of our lipstick to the brand of jeans that we wore was controlled. There were a lot of positives – we supported Neil Young, Bob Dylan, we did Vogue, the National Lottery, there was a great team behind us – it’s just that the music did not connect. I think the idea behind us was based on a fusion of existing girl bands and we were almost incidental to the vision,” Audrey Nugent tells me.
However, despite having a dream record industry team behind them, the one thing they did not nurture in any way was the girls’ innate musical talent and songwriting skills – Audrey is a natural songsmith with a great appreciation for the language of storytelling and a wicked, almost dark, sense of humour. After trying to fit into the mold they were offered and one which denied their individual voices, they failed to connect with an audience, and were cast adrift from their record label. “Even though it was not what any of us were about we figured with all that behind us that we would be a success – but we weren’t allowed to find out voices. That was something we had to do on our own,” says Audrey.
They say that you know you are on the right path when you meet the right people and after going their separate ways both Amy and Audrey continued to develop their own unique voices. They were no longer making music for other people – they were making music for themselves. This time when we meet Audrey is sitting at the bar of London’s new Xenia Hotel. Xenia, which means the welcoming of strangers, creates a kind of echo to the story she is telling me, and not for the first time I wonder at the timing significance of people coming in and out of my life.
Over a selection of watermelon Martinis and healthy bar snacks created by the resident chef from concept restaurant Evoluzione we play catch up on her career since. The industry has changed dramatically. While lives have been shattered and livelihoods been destroyed with the advent of the free download, it did turn the music industry on its ear and flush out anything without substance and the inability to perform live. Walking away from their dreams, a bad taste lingering in their mouths, they were bitterly reminded that this might be the only shot they were going to get. But talent is timeless, and sooner or later the truth will out.
Their mutual love of singing could not be eclipsed and as they gained experience and maturity they began to grow into the deeper talents they possessed which soon displaced the trappings of only being perceived superficially. Amy was repeatedly “discovered” while busking on the streets of Glasgow and went onto perform live with Rod Stewart at the Royal Albert Hall. She subsequently signed a deal with Epic in New York. Audrey stuck to songwriting and in the process collaborated with some of the top names in the industry such as Chris Martin from Coldplay and Tim Wheeler of Ash.
Having formed a strong bond while trying to survive the indignity and lack of control that being a part of a manufactured band engenders, the two never lost touch. In a stroke of luck and perfect geographical symmetry that seems to somehow mirror the harmony of their voices, the two girls ended up living several streets away from each other. Serendipity is not just about being in the right place at the right time, but being tuned into it. Soon Audrey was playing Amy her own unfinished songs and Amy was completing them with her harmonies. At first it was just a way of checking in again with each other, but it soon became apparent that combined they were more powerful than ever before. They began writing songs together.
As the bond between them grew stronger so did their ability to rely on one another, and find a way around life’s troubles with their creativity. The most powerful lyrics are often born out of personal hardship, just think of how Adele Set Fire to the Rain or Eric Clapton asking, “Would you know my name, if I saw you in heaven?” their words are real and weighty with substance. Despite heartbreaks and personal tragedies, both women found the strength to carry on through their mutual love of creating something beautiful out of that devastation.
“Ostensibly we started writing for other people, I had all these unfinished songs but I didn’t really have the heart for performing them anymore. So Amy heard them and said, ‘Let me help you finish the songs’. The next thing we were writing more and soon we had about 20 – 22 songs.” Audrey and Amy soon agreed it was time to record them and thus began the next chapter in their musical careers with a very different set of expectations. “We recorded a very simple acoustic demo with about eight songs on it.”
Self-funded and working with friends who were inspired by the quality of their compositions, the project took on a life of its own. It seemed that each person who heard it wanted to contribute, from producers to musicians, a video director and cinematographer, all wanting to lend their particular skills to give this debut album wings. Talk about grassroots. What has emerged is a lyrical and heartfelt album fittingly named Seeing Stars. When I first listened to their track, Doves, I had such a wave of endorphins rush through me it was like a hot flush – the song is like a promise that every woman should make to remain true to herself.
Since the release of their little gem of an album earlier this year, they have been featured in ITunes UK new and noteworthy section followed by RollingStone.com who picked them up for the daily download page, which in turn led to Jason Kramer from LA’s KCRW championing Nugent & Belle on his night time show.
Now touring in North America and Europe in intimate venues, it is clear that these two have not only found their voices but themselves. What you see now is two women who are completely in their element and beautiful for the love of what they are doing.
Later that evening over an impossibly beautiful sunset on a plate created by chef Pasquale D’Ambrosio of Evoluzione, we shared stories about our own mutual friend who first brought us together in Ireland all those years ago who is no longer with us. Thank you Michelle our Belle for that, and thank you Xenia for hosting our reunion.
by Nico Kos Earle
Free download of Doves by Nugent&Belle here
Seeing Stars by Nugent&Belle is available on iTunes
Nugent&Belle are on Facebook. Follow them on Twitter @NugentandBelle
Hotel Xenia is the perfect stopover hotel with an exceptionally health orientated restaurant that will help you recover from jetlag, and offering a restorative breakfast to balance late nights. Ideally located for business trips, art fairs, or hitting London for the sales, this is the perfect hotel for someone travelling solo looking for stylish comfort and convenience.
Hotel Xenia is a member of Great Hotels of the World Premium Collection.
Hotel Xenia’s Facebook page is here.
Twitter @HotelXeniaLND
Posted: 13th August 2013