Neena Roe Speaks To Bittersweet Nostalgia In Recent Single “heaven and hell”
Making the world a better place with her passionate songs and visionary lyricism, Iranian singer and songwriter Neena Roe speaks to the human experience as she bares her soul for all to witness. Following the release of her emotional single “broken!” in August, Neena Roe gets in touch with her cultural roots and ethnic identity in her latest single “heaven and hell.” Released on September 30, Neena Roe translates her memories and stories into this song, all about hopeless nostalgia and wistful yearning for the past.
“heaven and hell”
With only the playing of lush strings and raw vocal prowess, Neena Roe is transparent in her ode to lost possibilities. As a child of Iranian immigrants, Neena Roe composed a song based on the longing to return to her homeland, a land foreign to her yet has shaped her into who she is. The acoustic track creates an intimate listening experience to the already heartbreaking sentiment. “Heaven and hell” is meant to capture the emotions we allow ourselves to identify as wrong when these feelings are better off being worked through, for the sake of the individual and those they love.
The chorus — “If I could go wherever, I’d go back / I know that’s it’s wrong however, I want that” — was written thinking of her parents’ longing for the land they left behind for their children’s promised future. Expressing lost love, the chorus describes the inescapable longing for an old friend, a departed family member, and the former flame of desires that sits at a standstill inside of someone. Neena Roe reminisces about her childhood by pondering the what ifs and should haves. “Heaven and hell” highlights the unawareness of someone’s present, pivoting at any given moment, and the human psyche that longs for what we can no longer have.
Neena Roe plans to release her debut EP, how to be alone, on October 9, featuring “heaven and hell” alongside previously released singles, such as “broken!” and “concrete floors.”
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Searching for more West Asian artists to add to your rotation? Check out our album breakdown on Palestinian Canadian singer Nemahsis’s debut album “Verbathim” here!
