Heather Nova is the Bermudian Songwriter who grew up on a boat in the Caribbean and went on to sell over 2 million albums in her 15 year career to date. She has released seven albums and has opened for artists like Van Morrison and Neil Young as well as performed with artists like Sarah McLachlan. She has also had hit records with co-writes featuring artists like ATB (Renegade), and Eskobar (Someone New).Her brother is the Reggae singer Mishka.
By the end of the 1980s, after leaving RISD, Heather moved briefly to New York City (where she unsuccessfully tried to interest some major labels in a demo including Columbia , who rejected her, only to sign her five years later ), before moving to London, England. She has British citizenship due to her Bermudan origin. In 1990, she released her first recording, an EP called 'Heather Frith' — she had not yet changed her name by then. The name change came a year or so later after several gigs in the Netherlands, where, after finding out that the Dutch have trouble pronouncing "Frith," she chose a name that would be easily pronounceable in every European language, "Nova," her Canadian mother's maiden name.
The new name debuted in 1993 with her second EP 'Spirit in You' and her first full album, 'Glow Stars'. The success of the album led her to record and release her first live album, 'Blow', the same year, which she supported by a tour of Europe. A year later in 1994 she released what many consider to be her finest work to date, the emotional yet jagged album 'Oyster', for which she toured for almost two years. Another live album, 'Live from the Milky Way', was released in 1995, and after its release she toured for nearly three years straight, twice joining Sarah McLachlan and others on the North American Lilith Fair, which is a music festival with only female performers. Heather is also a frequent performer at European music festivals such as Roskilde.
In 1998, the long-awaited follow up to 'Oyster' was released. After the release of 'Siren', Heather took a break while various television show and film soundtracks licensed some of her songs and her record company (Sony Records/The WORK Group) released various singles from the album, which received only moderate play on America's MTV2, Europe's MTV and Canada's MuchMusic and on mainstream radio, although she was popular on college radio. Also during this time, she recorded a version of the often covered Billie Holiday song, 'Gloomy Sunday', for the German WWII drama Ein Lied von Liebe und Tod. In 2000, she released yet another live album, called 'Wonderlust'.
Over the years, Heather has written and recorded over a hundred songs, so that her albums are selected from work that has often already been performed live, rather than being conceived during rushed songwriting sessions. Half the songs on 'Siren' had been written during the 'Oyster' sessions and were frequently played live prior to being committed to a studio session, and most of the songs for 2001's 'South' were written between 1999 and 2000 while she was on hiatus from touring. With the release of 'South', she returned to the international spotlight with an appearance on the soundtrack of the John Cusack movie "Serendipity", a couple of music videos, and a collaboration with Swedish band Eskobar, for a song called "Someone New", also released as a video, which proved so popular that it was played primarily on America's MTV, not just MTV2 (which is normally reserved for less-popular songs). 'Storm', Heather's fifth studio album, was released in late 2003 on Big Cat Records, as was 'Redbird', released in 2005.
In 2002, she self-published 'the sorrowjoy', a 72-page book of her poetry and drawings. An album of the same name was released in March 2006, which featured Nova reading the poems from her book set to ambient music. The album has only been available for purchase at concerts beginning with the Intimate Evening tour, from the fan-run websites, HeatherNova.Net and HeatherNova.De, and from the official website, www.heathernova.com.
The album Storm was released in 2003. It was a more refined album, using Mercury Rev as Heather's backing band. The album was Top 5 in Germany and Top 10 across Europe. It was an album of dark ballads, marking a step away from the polished sound of South. It was also Heather's first release on her own record label, Saltwater Records. Despite being pregnant, she toured hard with a new line up and band, before returning home to Bermuda. (A live DVD was made of these concerts (live at the Union Chapel)
Heal
Heather Nova Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shine for me when love has gone too far
I've got you belly-deep in me.
Just a little breath on the water is all we need
Just a little strength in our hearts -
Enough to heal,
Enough to heal.
Dig me out, can't leave this love for dead
Hand to mouth we're picking up the thread
I've got you belly-deep in me.
Just a little breath on the water now is all we need
Just a little strength in our hearts,
Enough to heal,
Enough to heal.
And the sea glistens,
And the waves pull us in
There's something rising up and up.
Just a little breath on the water now,
Just a little strength in our hearts,
Enough to heal,
Enough to heal.
The lyrics to Heather Nova's song "Heal" are an exploration of the enduring power of love amidst the challenges and difficulties of life. The southern cross and star reference points to the singer's deep connection with their lover, whom they call on for support when things get tough. The image of being "belly-deep" in love suggests a profound emotional and physical intertwining, a sense of being fully immersed in the experience of loving another person.
The refrain of the song emphasizes the transformative potential of love, suggesting that even in the face of difficulties and obstacles, a little bit of strength and determination can be enough to "heal" the wounds and restore a sense of hope and resilience. The reference to the sea and the waves suggests the cyclical and transformative nature of life, with challenges and opportunities for growth constantly ebbing and flowing like the tides.
Overall, the lyrics to "Heal" are a powerful testament to the enduring and transformative power of love, even in the face of the most challenging circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
Fall for me, my southern cross, my star
A plea to the person to not leave and stay with her, just like a southern cross in the sky
Shine for me when love has gone too far
Asks for support in dark times when love becomes difficult and distant
I've got you belly-deep in me.
The person is inside her deeply with a strong connection
Just a little breath on the water is all we need
All it takes is a little effort to make things work again and move forward
Just a little strength in our hearts -
Both of them just need to find a bit of strength to carry on
Enough to heal,
Enough to heal.
The small amount of effort and strength is enough to fix and heal their relationship
Dig me out, can't leave this love for dead
Urges the person to not abandon the relationship and to make an effort to save it
Hand to mouth we're picking up the thread
They are barely getting by and struggling, but they are trying to keep the relationship going
I've got you belly-deep in me.
Again highlights the strong connection they share and how deeply ingrained the other person is in her life
And the sea glistens,
And the waves pull us in
There's something rising up and up.
Despite the struggles, they are hopeful and seeing something positive and beautiful in their relationship and future
Just a little breath on the water now is all we need
Reiterating that just a small effort can change everything
Just a little strength in our hearts,
Enough to heal,
Enough to heal.
Repeating that they both just need a bit of strength to save and revive their relationship
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HEATHER NOVA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Femke Marit
Fall for me, my southern cross, my star
Shine for me when love has gone too far
I've got you belly deep in me
Just a little breath on the water is all we need
Just a little strength in our hearts
Enough to heal
Enough to heal
Dig me out, can't leave this love for dead
Hand to mouth we're picking up the thread
I've got you belly deep in me
Just a little breath on the water now is all we need
Just a little strength in our hearts
Enough to heal
Enough to heal
And the sea glistens
And the waves pull us in
There's something rising up and up
Just a little breath on the water now
Just a little strength in our hearts,
Enough to heal
Enough to heal.
uleavemecold
1 of the most underrated artists of all time.
Gravity Works
I agree.
MyDriver8
unfortunately so.
MyDriver8
@Portcullis i wish this were mainstream. maybe someday.
Portcullis
I saw her recently in a small London venue, and she is still wonderful. She played the whole of the 'Oyster' album, including this beautiful song.
Femke Marit
Fall for me, my southern cross, my star
Shine for me when love has gone too far
I've got you belly deep in me
Just a little breath on the water is all we need
Just a little strength in our hearts
Enough to heal
Enough to heal
Dig me out, can't leave this love for dead
Hand to mouth we're picking up the thread
I've got you belly deep in me
Just a little breath on the water now is all we need
Just a little strength in our hearts
Enough to heal
Enough to heal
And the sea glistens
And the waves pull us in
There's something rising up and up
Just a little breath on the water now
Just a little strength in our hearts,
Enough to heal
Enough to heal.
Paul Sagristano
This woman is a trubador! She's been at it since the late 1980's and is still absolutely captivating in concert. It's a shame she does not get the 20 million views that all of the popular trash singers get, but I think she may have planned it that way. She never sold out!
Crush Everything
She has far too much class and talent - she doesn’t fit today’s business model for “success”. I’m sure she has zero regrets.
Portcullis
Very well said.
tzina mazonaki
this song for years now give me strenght..when i listen it i forgot all my problems...her voice her music...like music of heaven...love heather nova