Interview: Nona Invie slowly explores vulnerability on new solo album
by Diane
March 03, 2025
Nona Invie, The Local Show’s March Artist of the Month, is a true artist. For one, the singer, songwriter, composer, and pianist constantly reinvents their work. For the project Dark Dark Dark, Invie led a rootsy, yet sophisticated folk band integrating New Orleans jazz music. Their other work includes experimental synth-electronic music and a women’s choir. Invie is also a backup singer and keyboardist for indie singer-songwriter Angel Olsen.
Invie’s latest endeavor is a solo exploration. Their most personal and cathartic work yet, Self-soothing was created to help cope with difficult emotions. The expressive record’s slow tempo gives the music a spacious, immersive feel, surrounded by wide-ranging sonic textures accompanying Invie’s awe-inspiring voice. Outstanding tracks like “Forget My Name” and “Last of Our Shadow” underline the vulnerabilities and intensity of heartbreak.
The Current spoke with Invie about the 20-year journey to this present moment, their upcoming tour in the U.S. and France, their relationship with the piano, and more.
Transcript edited for clarity and length
Welcome, Nona Invie. So glad to have you. How's it going today?
It's great. Thank you for having. Happy to be here.
I've been a fan of your work since the early days of Dark Dark Dark, which started in 2006.
Whoa [laughs].
And now it's 2025. And in 2010 you released Wild Go to mass critical acclaim and have had projects in the mid 2010s called RONiiA and Anonymous Choir. And then you've been slowly releasing music under your name Nona Invie. Catch us up over this length of time.
I had never thought of it as 20 years. When we started Dark Dark Dark, it was just this really natural progression of how it comes together — two friends playing music. And then you're like, "Hey, do you want to play bass? Oh, you want to play drums? Cool. Want to go to New Orleans? Great. Let's go." And I fell in love with getting to travel, play music, and meet people. It has always been a goal of mine, and all these projects, to connect with people, and also to get out there. Even though tour can be kind of a grind, I've just been so inspired in my life by being able to be in different places.
Anonymous Choir came from ... With Dark Dark Dark, it was all men in the band. I was the only woman in the band. So I just really craved the feminine energy, and femme voices, and just being with my people. And that became its own little community of people, having their kids on tour with us or on stage with us. And it was really magical.
Then RONiiA started because Dark Dark Dark — I played accordion and piano, and I started to get interested in synths. And so I got this little microKORG, and I was making little ambient sounds. And I joined up with Mark McGee, who did all the programming. And that was also just really a mind meld of — “Oh, it's so easy to just make these songs in a day together.” When that chemistry happens in any kind of creative space, it is really magical. And then Fletcher Barnhill joined us to play bass live and do other synth stuff.
So that started to fill this synth-electronic place that I wanted. And then I started to get curious about playing solo, and how that would feel too — to be with myself and represent just myself and not be responsible for anyone else. That's the evolution, I guess.
It's such an artist thing to just try a little bit of everything, it seems.
Yeah, when [Dark Dark Dark] started, the drummer was chains and a bucket, you know? It was 2006, so [laughs].
Yeah, and Mark McGee, who you mentioned, is also the project MAKR AN ERIS. For listeners, they were our Artists of the Month in December.
Let's talk about your brand-new record that drops this Friday. It's called Self-soothing, produced by Andrew Broder. And one of the defining characteristics of it is this low BPM — spacious, ethereal, very moving. And it's such a beautiful record, and it really highlights your singing and depth of lyricism and feeling. Tell me about this new record.
Thank you. Yeah, it's a really personal record ... Something that has dogged me in a way for years [is] this bit of criticism that someone gave me once that stood in the back of my mind. I applied for a grant, and then you could hear the panel discussing it. And someone said that I was a mediocre piano player, basically.
When I think about why I play music and what I do and what I have to offer to the community, or to the dialogue of music in general — I'm not a virtuosic piano player, but what I can give is myself and my personal experience. And on this record, I just leaned into that. And I didn't shy away from heavy topics — personal, discussing relationships, friendships, hardships, and just going there with my voice. Trying different things and just being like, "Here I am. This is me." And having Andrew take these more basic demos that I brought him and give them the consideration and depth, and turn these songs into something beautiful. I'm really proud of the work that we did together.
I'm offended that this person even said that ... As someone who's such a massive fan of the track "Daydreaming," the expressiveness of your playing ... who's even to say [that] you have to be virtuosic in order to be [taken seriously].
I know. And actually, someone did defend me, and they're like, "It's not about being a virtuoso" ... And I don't dwell on that. But sometimes I think about that — why am I doing what I'm doing, if it's not to be the best at it or something?
Exactly.
There's more than being the best piano player.
I feel like piano is a grounding element to your music. Tell me more about your relationship with this instrument.
My relationship with the piano has evolved over time. I took piano lessons when I was a kid. And when I was in high school, my lessons were before school. My teacher was really strict, and I pretty much cried like every week [laughs]. 6:15 before school? I cannot imagine that now. I took a break from piano in college. And then with Dark Dark Dark, I was playing accordion. So it's still keys. And then I found my way — probably a junky piano somewhere. I was like, "Oh, maybe I'll just try to play again." And then over, apparently, the last 20 years [laughs] just delved more into that, spending time with the instrument.
And during lockdown, during COVID, I was lucky enough to have my home studio, where I have a piano, and was able to just spend hours a day experimenting, exploring, getting to know, when you press a chord, how long it rings out. At least, this piano in particular, I've really bonded with. And I think other musicians and artists who have relationships with their tools ... I think of the piano as more than a tool, but [laughs] it's a complex relationship. It was really grounding. Having the piano as a place to start for writing these songs was important to my mental health ... For people who do play the piano, it's this big, solid instrument, and you can just crank on it; you don't have to worry about harming it, or making a go out of tune. Not that I was smashing the piano, but —
[Laughs] Like, have a sledgehammer and just —
That's for a different kind of music style. But just to be able to have that kind of safe space to be like anything can happen here — and some of it made it to the record.
You are a touring member of Angel Olsen’s band. And Angel Olsen is such a big name on The Current's station — so beloved. And I'm also a big fan of Angel Olsen. I got to see you perform with her at Surly Brewing Festival Field with Sharon Van Etten. Tell me about your experience working with Angel Olsen.
Angel and I had been friends before. The drummer from Dark Dark Dark lived in Chicago, and she lived in Chicago. So whenever we would go there, we would see her and hang out. We played shows together back then. And then, over the years, I had always been like, "If you ever need a backup singer" ... I love her personally, and I love her music. I'm a big fan, and [was there] when she played at The Cedar and then at First Ave, and all the shows over the years in Minneapolis. I think it was 2018 when she called me up out of the blue and was just like, "Were you serious about that?"
No way.
Her singer was leaving to pursue solo stuff, and so she actually did need a backup singer and a keyboard player. And it just came at the perfect time when I was going through a breakup, and I just wanted to get out of town. Not that I was fleeing the situation, but a change of scenery does feel good.
Oh my gosh, it's so helpful.
Having some space. Minneapolis isn't a small town, but it definitely feels like a small town. Our circles are small here.
It's certainly not a Chicago.
And she was living in Asheville at the time, so then I would go down to Asheville and we would work up harmonies together, and it's just like, "Oh, yes. This is what I need." And then being able to tour with her for a couple of records, I learned a lot about playing music with people, supporting each other [on] hard, big tours on a tour bus, which I had never done before.
Asheville is so beautiful. And I've been there once because I was on a very DIY tour with Kiss the Tiger. We were eating right before we were playing. And Meghan, the lead singer of Kiss the Tiger, was like, [whispers] "Oh, my God. That's Angel Olsen!
[Laughs] Yes!
And Angel Olsen was sitting there with a friend, and she had a basket of puppies on top of the table. Maybe it was one dog, but she literally had a basket.
Oh, she was with Devin. Was it a little chihuahua?
I think so. It was just like a little dog ... and I was like, "This is so cool!"
And you have an upcoming tour. You're gonna be playing in France and throughout the United States. Tell me about that.
Yeah, I'm really excited. After the show [at Berlin in Minneapolis on Thursday, March 6], I'm going to France. I have a friend who organized the tour for me. His name is Vincent Dupas, and his music is called My Name is Nobody. And I've sung a few songs on his records over the years. I'd sing in kind of fake French where I'm just mimicking the words. But I'm really excited because we're going to play a bunch of duo shows and do a bunch of songs together.
France was the first place in Europe that Dark Dark Dark ever played. And I have this deep appreciation for the people there, and lots of really good memories. So I'm excited to be able to go back and play in some smaller towns ... With Angel, the last few years, and also with other tours, you basically just go to Paris. And there's so much more to France than Paris. So I'm really excited to be in the smaller, coastal towns and eat some croissants.
Well, thank you so much, Nona. It's been so great to chat with you as our Artist of the Month.
Thank you so much!
Nona Invie performs at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 6, at Berlin in Minneapolis. Tickets.
