By Scott Thomson
Up and coming music artists are using social media as a stepping stone to bigger things. Local Edinburgh teenager, Nina Nesbitt. is just one of many artists using social media to reach a wider audience. Her YouTube Channel has attracted over 30,000 views, while she also has a loyal Twitter following of over 2,000.
The last year or so has certainly been an adventure for Balerno teenager, Nina Nesbitt. From performing in a school hall to supporting chart-topping artist, Ed Sheeran, she’s certainly finding her feet in the music industry.
But it was the use of her Twitter account and YouTube channel that has really helped to boost her profile. The 17 year-old singer/songwriter has used social media to her advantage by getting herself noticed and reaching out to a wider audience.
Nina first set up her YouTube channel to upload cover tracks of her performances. She believes using the video site has been an important factor in her rise to prominence:
“I think YouTube is a fantastic platform to introduce yourself to the internet and to be able to showcase your music. It’s good to get your music out there for people to hear.”
Her YouTube channel has helped to raise awareness of her talent and through all of these means Nina has been able to arrange gigs by people subsequently contacting her and her management:
“Most people interested in booking gigs have contacted my management through the details on my Twitter account. Some of the smaller gigs I did over the summer were as a result of people contacting me directly through Twitter and Facebook.”
Through Twitter Nina was contacted by rapper, Example. After hearing her cover of his hit ‘Stay Awake’ on YouTube he tweeted it to his followers. He then contacted her with an offer she couldn’t refuse:- performing as a support act for his gigs in December.
Nina who hails her early influences as Joni Mitchell and Eva Cassidy, explained how important her YouTube channel was in securing the gigs:
“If I hadn’t posted my cover of Example’s song, Stay Awake, I probably wouldn’t be supporting him on his tour. It has definitely helped to make an impact on my career so far.”
Example first heard about Nina after Ed Sheeran told him about Nina’s cover version of his song. It was by chance that Nina met Ed at an intimate gig in Glasgow. Nina was offered the opportunity to perform in front of him when he gave her his guitar. Her voice impressed so much that she was then offered the opportunity to support him at his Glasgow and London gigs in October.
It was at the 02 ABC in Glasgow in October that Nina stole the show with her performance of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ in a duet alongside Ed. From being a fan in the crowd, Nina is now making great strides performing on the stage. She describes the change from performing at smaller venues to the 02 ABC:-
“I had been playing smaller venues for a few months, but to support an artist as big as Ed Sheeran was such a great opportunity, and brought performing live to a whole new level for me.”
Nina who is also a part-time model and studies Music at Stevenson College in Edinburgh is enjoying herself a lot at the moment. Having loved singing since an early age she is currently flourishing with her new-found confidence. It was not until recently that she considered singing as a career:
“I’ve always loved singing. Since leaving school I would say I’ve had more time to pursue a career as a professional singer. I don’t think I’ve ever had the confidence before to go for it as a job until I started getting an internet following and great feedback from gigs.”
Since the summer time has certainly gone fast for the youngster who recently performed alongside Pixie Lott and Rizzle Kicks at the Liquid Rooms in Edinburgh where she again left the crowd in awe.
“The last six months have been mad! Being able to do something which I love as a job is great. I love every aspect of having a music career, as a singer and as a writer, so I’m really enjoying myself at the moment.”
Her first EP is set to be released in December and it will feature some live performances recorded down south last month. There are also plans now in the pipeline for a record deal, but for now Nina is keeping things under wraps:
“There are lots of discussions at the moment with major labels but I can’t tell you much at the moment about that.”
Next year promises to be huge for this young musician who has the world at her feet. Through careful use of social media sites Nina has developed as a music artist. Without her YouTube channel it’s difficult to imagine how exactly this Edinburgh girl would have got herself noticed across the world. For many young artists nowadays the only way to get their music out there is by going online.
STOP PRESS: Since the above article was written Nina has announced that her first EP which is a compilation of her own songs all recorded live will be released on 5 December 2011 on iTunes.
Photo © Louise Munro
