Canadian singer-songwriter Ness Nost writes the kind of thoughtful and

introspective guitar-driven pop tunes the world could use a bit more of.

John Micek, Capital Star 

 

A seasoned performer hailing from Ottawa, Canada Ness Nöst (née Vanessa Nostbakken) thrives on stage, where her act truly comes to life. Her music bears the imprints of legends like Joni Mitchell's emotive lyricism, Bonnie Raitt's gritty charm, and CSNY’s memorable harmonies.

 

NESS NÖST comes with honesty alongside warm melodies and

 has the ability to express the essence of the human experience.

ParaPOP.net

 

After working Montreal’s jazz scene, Ness moved to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains to lean into folk, and then on to Vancouver to develop her own sound and where she can now be found playing at venues such as Vancouver’s Guilt and Co, 2nd Floor Jazz, The Beaumont, and The Heatley with her band or as a solo act. She recently embarked on a successful summer mini tour in Ontario, sharing her newest releases at Irene's Pub in Ottawa, Handlebar and The Shangri-La in Toronto, before heading back out West and hitting up Calgary’s beloved Ironwood Stage.

 

Ness’ recent success has come from the release of her debut 5 track EP Working Hours which she managed to self-fund after raising $7000 in a Kickstarter campaign. The EP is a concept piece, a semi-autobiographical account of Nostbakken’s 11 years as a woman in the service industry. The first track, Maid 4 U, captured airtime in its first week of release on Soho Radio in London UK, made it to Exclaim’s EH! Playlist, and continues to draw great reviews, as does her most recent release, The Regular. That song tells the story of a young waitress who has to choose between putting up with the unwanted advances of a regular customer to keep her job or standing up for herself against the guy who takes her kindness for consent.

 

[The song] delves into the challenges women in the service industry face, battling

 misogyny, self-sabotage and pursuit of dreams all wrapped up in an acoustic-pop sound.

Get in her ears

 

From the prominent sentimental acoustic guitar to the wistful harmonies, the production plucks your heart strings in a way that has you feeling empathetic as the last few seconds fade away. UnsignedBC.com

   

…the song captures our attention from start to finish, effortlessly

making me a fan of her rich, expressive vocals and storytelling abilities.

Caesarlivenloud.com

 

Ness plans to release the final 3 tracks of the Working Hours EP over the next three months followed by a cross-Canada tour.