Neffy
Mecca Russell, known professionally as Neffy, is a singer-songwriter from Arlington, Virginia.
In 2021, she won the NPR Tiny Desk Contest.[1]
Career[edit]
Neffy was a musical child who sang frequently.[2] She has described her father as the “epitome of a music encyclopedia" who taught her about R&B and soul. At age 12, Neffy's mother gave her her first guitar, which she taught herself to play.[3] At age 13, she wrote her first song.[2] She sang in a choir in high school which was called, "Magicals".[4]
From 2015 to 2020, she attended the Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts at The New School.[4][3]
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Neffy performed over 100 concerts on the East Coast.[4]
In 2020, she won a grant from Emergent Seed, a DC arts organization, to support her music.[5]
NPR Tiny Desk Contest[edit]
In 2021, Neffy submitted a video of her playing her original song "Wait Up," to the NPR Tiny Desk Contest.[6] Tiny Desk creator, Bob Boilen, said, “Neffy’s song stood out amongst the thousands of 2021 Tiny Desk Contest entries as a universal cry to break free of constraints and celebrate nature's beauty. With an acoustic guitar and that uplifting voice, Neffy wowed our judges.”[7] The judging panel consisted of Boilen, Tobe Nwigwe, Phoebe Bridgers, and four other judges.[7] Neffy previously entered the Tiny Desk Contest in 2018 and 2020.[4]
Neffy faced unique challenges winning the contest during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was able to film an NPR Tiny Desk set, but with only the All Songs Considered production team present as an audience.[8] She has shared that the pandemic has been difficult for independent artists. In 2022, she released the song, “I Lost My Nerve” about these struggles.[9]
Discography[edit]
| Title | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|
| I Don't Miss You | 2020 | [10] |
| Title | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|
| “Wait Up” | 2021 | [11] |
| “I Lost My Nerve” | 2022 | [9] |
References[edit]
- ^ "Singer-Songwriter Neffy, Arlington Native, Wins NPR's Tiny Desk Contest". DCist. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
- ^ a b Blitz, Matt. "Green Valley Native Neffy Wins NPR's Tiny Desk Contest". Arlington Now.
- ^ a b Eim, Don (2016-09-22). "Free Press Live: Neffy, Episode 5". The New School Free Press. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
- ^ a b c d "2021 Tiny Desk Contest Winner Neffy's Journey to the Top". District Fray. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
- ^ "Meet the Winners of Micro-Grants for DC-Area Writers and Musicians Affected by the Pandemic". Washingtonian. 2020-08-05. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
- ^ Louise Kelly, Mary (2021). "Meet Neffy, The Winner Of The 2021 Tiny Desk Contest". NPR.
- ^ a b "Neffy Wins 2021 NPR Tiny Desk Contest". Music Connection Magazine. 2021-09-15. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
- ^ Boilen, Bob. "Neffy: Tiny Desk Concert". NPR.
- ^ a b Severs, Sophie (2022-11-18). "Interview: With Head Held High, Neffy Confidently Loses Her Nerve". Atwood Magazine. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
- ^ "Neffy Wins NPR Music 2021 Tiny Desk Contest". NPR.
- ^ "Neffy, 'Wait Up'". NPR.