To mark the release of her brand-new solo EP “Nothing Has Changed”, Mimi Naja of Fruition will perform a live stream from Nashville’s Purple Building tonight at 9pm ET. While the EP was recorded at Fruition drummer Tyler Thompson’s studio, for tonight’s EP release show Naja will be joined by Anthony da Costa, PJ George, and Alex Bice.
When Covid-19 radically altered life around the globe, Mimi found a silver lining by entering a substance treatment program. She continues to take life one day at a time and has remained in recovery since April 2020. Her latest solo endeavor, out today on all streaming services is honest and revealing, and while the title may seem pessimistic, a deep dive into the layers unveils a call for reinvention. Naja says "These songs have been on my heart throughout my early recovery journey, so to give it you just a few days shy of my 1-year sober mark really feels poignant and special.”
Current single “All You Know Of Me”, which was selected for Spotify’s Fresh Folk playlist this week, touches on the pre-recovery period where the party never ends, and you are never alone.
The title track, a meditation on entering this newfound chapter of self-improvement, and the venting of frustrations of shedding old skin for the sake of growth was accompanied by a video directed by Fruition bandmate Jeff Leonard. : https://youtu.be/b8glTIbd1aY
“Coin In My Pocket” is an upbeat song about renewal which alludes to the token chip of the Alcoholics Anonymous program. It debuted with an animated video from the muti-talented Deren Ney (Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers). https://youtu.be/VglyhGNCOP0
The EP is available with a limited-edition autographed poster at her website, and the title track and new single “All You Know Of Me” are available at all digital retailers: http://smarturl.it/MimiNaja
About Mimi Naja:
After spending the last decade in the Pacific Northwest, Mimi Naja has made her way from Portland, OR to her new Nashville home. Raised in the outskirts of Atlanta, the urban south beckoned her spirit when touring paused. As a founding member of roots-rock sweethearts Fruition, Mimi began her professional music career as one of three friends busking on the streets of Portland in 2008. As buzz grew around Fruition’s alluring three-part harmonies and community-bonding dance floor, they took their show to stages around the country. Still, the band continued to busk in between shows, and eventually met their manager on the streets of Austin during SXSW in 2013. Fast forward to early 2020, and the band had developed into a national headline act including an album release show at Denver’s Mission Ballroom, and became ongoing festival favorites at Northwest String Summit, High Sierra Music Festival, and WinterWonderGrass; with highlight appearances at Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Bonnaroo, LOCK’N and more.
Much like her aversion to being pigeon-holed to one genre, Mimi applies the same philosophy when it comes to her instruments of choice. In Fruition, (where she is one of 3 lead vocalists), Mimi is known as a mandolinist and guitar player, but while grounded at home from the pandemic, she took advantage of the opportunity to practice for hours on piano, bass, drums, and even turntables. Growing up on all things radio pop and Southern rap, she ironically found her love of bluegrass upon moving out west, and remains forever inspired by the soul sounds of Motown and Stax. With her raw and direct voice - that’s been likened to Bonnie Raitt- she’s just as likely to croon a slow acoustic ballad as a frenetic rock and roll heater.
