Canmore is home to all forms of talent, from Olympic athletes to creative artists.
Nurdjana, a vocalist and songwriter originally from the Netherlands, is one such talented artist.
Indie Artist Buzz described her music as “delicate, yet soulful and jazzy.” Jasen’s Jamz shared a similar sentiment, claiming her music is “welcoming and filled with love.”
Nurdjana’s sound beautifully explores the emotional landscape of love and sadness, which isn’t surprising given her history.
Her solo career began as a way to cope with grief, reimagining the music she had created with her late father, Dutch musician Rob de Rijcke.
“My dad, Rob de Rijcke, wrote so many amazing songs. He would play them for me, and I would decide if it was something that suited me. Either love at first sight or nothing, I would know immediately if I could find myself within it,” Nurdjana told Live In Limbo.
After a decade-long break from music following his passing, moving to Canada, and becoming a single mother, Nurdjana revisited and reworked her father’s compositions in 2019.
This artistic process helped her connect with her new life in small-town Alberta and allowed her to maintain a deep bond with her Dutch roots, creating a bridge between her past and present.
In 2021, Nurdjana released her debut single, Do the Right Thing, in collaboration with producer Edward Renzi.
That same year, she followed up with two more singles: Ineffective Sharing, co-produced with Dutch producer and multi-instrumentalist Lucas Meijers, and Pressure, co-produced with James Clemens-Seely.
Her debut EP, Coming Home, was released in June 2022 and co-produced with Meijers. It was nominated for the R&B/Soul Recording of the Year at the YYC Music Awards.
CBC Key of A radio host Tarik Robinson highlighted the EP’s second single, She Gives Me Water, as one of his favourite tracks from an Albertan artist in 2022.
Nurdjana returned this month with her summer single, Dancing, which was accompanied by a music video directed by Hilde Barwegen.
Dancing
Nurdjana’s new single Dancing was initially written by her father when he was diagnosed with cancer in his vocal cords.
“It’s a really sweet song. He wrote it for my mom – it was a love song. When he shared it with me at the time…I played it nonstop. I loved it,” Nurdjana told Mountain FM’s Rob Murray in an interview.
Many of Nurdjana’s songs are inspired by or reimagined from her father’s songs. When asked how many of his songs she had left to write, Nurdjana explained that “he still has so many left.”
According to Nurdjana, she is working on a book of everything her father wrote, which she thinks will take another couple of years to finish.
Even after his passing, Rob plays a pivotal role in shaping Nurdjana’s musical career. Still, she’s ready to continue the journey on her own.
Over the last few years, Nurdjana has been performing live music while also recording new singles. To say her plate has been full is an understatement, so how did she pull it off?
“I wanted to…prove to the world and to myself that I can be a single mom and have a day job, and also be a musician. I’ve been pulling it off, but it’s really hard work,” said Nurdjana.
She pointed out that her busy schedule has been taking a toll on her energy levels and even her voice, stating, “I’ve been struggling with my voice over the last year and a half.”
Nurdjana isn’t performing any shows this month to help herself recover. Instead, she plans to focus on getting her voice back up to snuff and finishing her next album, which she expects to release next year.
With the release of her latest single, Dancing, available on all music streaming platforms, Nurdjana encourages her listeners to watch the music video below.
Summer might be nearing its end, but Nurdjana’s new single is keeping it alive. The vintage-style music video features warm colours and summer scenery, perfectly capturing her style.
Listening to the song’s lyrics, it’s clear that Dancing is intended to be a love song that passionately explores the simplicity and power of love.
Nurdjana is greatly inspired by her late father. Still, we look forward to seeing the talented Canmore artist forge her path.
