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)
Miss My Sky
Heather Nova Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The sun so strong and rage so deep
I keep waking to find I've been dreaming again
And the sound of the ocean is not a plane
And far away they talk about me
In newspaper columns they write about me
Round dinner tables and cocktail parties
I'm a heroine and a tragic figure
Beneath my sky
And sometimes
Sometimes I cry
Sometimes
Sometimes I wonder
Why we're always coming down
And why we need to touch the ground
And why I didn't keep on heading
Right on up to heaven
I miss my sky
Here from below the clouds are shadows
Not the golden mountains I used to fly through
Here from below the sky?s a painting
In a child's room with the future waiting
But not for me
I look up at the birds flying overhead
My sentinel's true but the signals dead
It's been 500 days of hope and sorrow
500 nights with no tomorrow
And the poetry and the best of me
And the heart and the spirit and the sex of me
All fell into the azure sea
In the tailspin with the last of me
And my wings, and my song, all that I knew is dead and gone
I'm weak and tired but my will is strong
And my hope lives on, my hope lives onS
But sometimes
Sometimes I cry
Sometimes
Sometimes I wonder
Why we're always coming down
Why we need to touch the ground
Why I didn't keep on heading
Right on up to heaven
I miss my sky
I miss my sky
Heather Nova's song "I Miss My Sky" speaks about the pain and heartache of falling from grace and losing one's sense of identity. In the opening verse, we see the singer retreating from the world and burying herself in nature, seeking solace in the leaves and the sun. Yet, even as she sleeps and dreams, reality intrudes in the form of the ocean and the incessant chatter of the media. She is both celebrated and vilified by those who know her, a heroine and a tragic figure.
The chorus is a poignant reflection on the nature of human existence and the longing for something greater than oneself. The singer wonders why we are always coming down and why we need to touch the ground. She laments her decision not to keep flying upwards, to keep going until she touched the heavens. She misses her sky, the freedom it represented, and the sense of possibility it gave her. The final verse sees the singer trapped on the ground, looking up at the sky with a mixture of longing and resignation. The world is no longer what it used to be; it's a pale imitation of the beauty and majesty that once surrounded her.
Overall, "I Miss My Sky" is a powerful rumination on the ups and downs of life, and the constant pull of opposing forces. It's a song about grief and hope, about losing oneself and finding the strength to keep going. Heather Nova's heartfelt delivery and evocative lyrics make it a standout track.
Line by Line Meaning
I bury myself in the leaves to sleep
I find comfort in nature and hide away from the world, seeking solace in my sleep.
The sun so strong and rage so deep
Though the sun shines brightly, I feel an intense inner turmoil that is difficult to explain.
I keep waking to find I've been dreaming again
My reality is painful and so I escape into dream world, only to be harshly brought back to my problems when I wake up.
And the sound of the ocean is not a plane
Even the calming sound of the ocean cannot distract me from my thoughts and feelings of distress.
And far away they talk about me
I feel distant from others yet I'm aware that they discuss me and speculate about me behind closed doors.
In newspaper columns they write about me
People's opinions of me are documented in writing and distributed through the media, adding to my stress and anxiety.
Round dinner tables and cocktail parties
People discuss me even in social situations, where they should be enjoying themselves, making me feel like I'm at the center of everyone's attention.
I'm a heroine and a tragic figure
People perceive me as both a strong, courageous figure and a tragic victim, making it difficult for me to understand my own identity.
I'm a heroine as I'm lying here
Despite feeling weak and helpless, I try to convince myself that I am still a hero for enduring my struggles.
Beneath my sky
Despite everything, I am still yearning for the comfort of the sky above me.
Here from below the clouds are shadows
From my current perspective, the beauty of the clouds has been lost and now they are simply dark shadows.
Not the golden mountains I used to fly through
The mountains I once found beauty in no longer bring me any kind of joy or escape.
Here from below the sky's a painting
The sky now seems two-dimensional and stale, like a painting on a wall rather than a living and breathing part of nature.
In a child's room with the future waiting
The sky has become nothing more than a backdrop, lacking the grandeur and wonder that once filled me with hope and wonder.
But not for me
I feel like I'm stuck and not moving forward, unable to imagine a better future for myself.
I look up at the birds flying overhead
Even though I feel grounded, I am still able to appreciate the freedom of the birds and their ability to soar through the skies.
My sentinel's true but the signals dead
Even though I have an unwavering protector or guardian, that sense of protection no longer brings me any sense of relief or peace.
It's been 500 days of hope and sorrow
I've been struggling with my emotions for an extended period of time now, alternating between moments of hopefulness and deep sorrow.
500 nights with no tomorrow
I feel like I'm stuck in a cycle, unable to move forward or imagine any kind of positive future for myself.
And the poetry and the best of me
The things that I always thought defined me - my creativity and my talents - have now been lost in the turmoil of my life.
And the heart and the spirit and the sex of me
Even my most intimate and personal aspects of myself are feeling lost and confused in the face of my challenges.
All fell into the azure sea
Everything that made me who I am has been lost, as if they fell into a bottomless sea.
In the tailspin with the last of me
I feel like I'm spiraling out of control, clinging to whatever remains of myself.
And my wings, and my song, all that I knew is dead and gone
The things that used to make me feel free and alive are now gone, leaving me feeling lost and helpless.
I'm weak and tired but my will is strong
Even though I feel depleted and exhausted, my desire to find a better future is still burning strong within me.
And my hope lives on, my hope lives on
Despite everything, I am still clinging onto the hope that someday things will improve for me.
Sometimes
There are moments where I feel especially vulnerable and unsure of myself.
Sometimes I cry
I sometimes can't help but break down in tears in the face of my struggles.
Sometimes
Despite everything, there are still moments of happiness and joy that shine through for me.
Sometimes I wonder
I often find myself lost in thought, trying to make sense of my current situation.
Why we're always coming down
I question why life seems to be filled with constant challenges and obstacles that bring us down.
And why we need to touch the ground
I'm wondering why we can't just stay high above the hardships, soaring freely and never worrying about the struggles of the world below.
Why I didn't keep on heading, right on up to heaven
I find myself wondering why I didn't choose a different path, one that might have led me to a more peaceful and fulfilling existence.
I miss my sky
Most of all, I miss the sense of hope and freedom that came with the endless expanse of the sky above me, before life's challenges took over.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Heather Allison Frith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Portcullis
So much talent and a beautiful voice. Heather Nova really deserves much wider recognition.
dave ulrich
Unfortunately Heather doesn't tour the States very often in which I think hurts her recognition. She does have a voice of an Angel.
Pete Guard
Put aside her fantastic skills as a poet/songwriter, my God can she sing. Hand her a menu from a fast food taco joint and she could sing it as a love song, a tragedy, or angst unleashed.
Verena
Here from below the sky's a painting
in a child's room, with the future waiting
but not for me..
...I love her for those lyrics. Heather, you're great! Can't wait to see you live in October.
Jim G
I love Heather Nova, and this is a very beautiful version of a song that has affected my life.
Peacecore09
By far one of the most beautiful songs I've heard in a very long time. ❤
Jeffrey Barkin
Her convincing Honesty and Sincerity is not just convincing but STARTLING!
HEATHER NOVA is an Extremely GIFTED Singer Songswriter and Performer that sure Deserves GREATER Acknowledgment...
Definitetly!!!
LAB RATS UNITE
Glorious. She floors me with her authenticity & sincerity, everytime.
VadKor
Как же я люблю её песни ❤️
Morrigan Ravenchild
This has me in tears....pure musical poetry.