NAWAS
NAWAS is not in the business of life hacks and tutorials. Jake Nawas and Ben McDaniel, close friends since childhood, make music that explores the ups and downs of the human condition. If you’re looking for empowerment songs full of empty phrases, or tracks grounded in fiction, their brand of alternative pop might miss the mark. But, if you’re a music fan in search of artists that write what they live, explore the nuances of love and love lost, and capture real struggles with authenticity and true honesty... you’re going to want to tune in for this.
Originally from Louisiana and currently based in Nashville, NAWAS is rich in musical influence, from the old school Soul / R&B records their grandparents played on vinyl to the “get up and move your feet'' pop icons of the 80s. On paper, the duo behind NAWAS sound (and look!) like polar opposites. Ultimately, these varied perspectives help them gel as collaborators. Ben finds his expression through rich and layered instrumentation while Jake has a penchant for crystalizing vast experiences and the existential questions he has about them into very direct lyrics that are easily relatable.
NAWAS’ on-going mantra is to trust in what’s real and true. Call it a mini art commune, call it a band that creates and feels deeply while knowing a tight grip can stifle the magic. Either way, you are invited.
MOST INFLUENTIAL ALBUM
UNDUN | THE ROOTS
This album was released while we were in high school and really had an impact on both our musicality and storytelling. The Roots are, in our opinion, one of the great bands of our time. Their ability to stay within the sound established on this record and tell a heartbreaking fictional story with so much detail and personal experience seeping through was truly magnificent. It’s a timeless album that taught us many lessons both musically and personally.