Nadia Ali (Urdu: نادیہ علی; born August 3, 1980) is a Paki… Read Full Bio ↴AKA Hylls
Nadia Ali (Urdu: نادیہ علی; born August 3, 1980) is a Pakistani American singer-songwriter who gained attention as the frontwoman and songwriter of the band iiO, after their 2001 hit "Rapture" reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart. The song also charted across several countries in Europe. Their 2006 single, "Is It Love?", reached the top of the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Chart.
After embarking on a solo career in 2005, Ali became successful as an oft-requested vocalist in electronic dance music. She released her debut album Embers in 2009. Critics praised her unique songwriting, which combined electronica with ballads, Eastern and acoustic music. Three singles from the album reached the top-ten of the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Chart, including the No. 1 hit, "Love Story". The song was also nominated at the 25th International Dance Music Awards at the Winter Music Conference, while "Fantasy" was nominated for a Grammy award.
In 2010, she released a remix compilation titled Queen of Clubs Trilogy to mark her decade-long career as a singer-songwriter. "Rapture" was re-released as the only single from the compilation and the song was once again a chart success in Europe. Ali released the single "Pressure" with Starkillers and Alex Kenji in 2011, which became a club and festival anthem and received an International Dance Music Award.
She has also collaborated with several notable producers and DJs, such as Armin van Buuren, Schiller, BT and John Creamer & Stephane K. Ali is currently working on her second studio album titled Phoenix, which is due to be released in 2012.
Promises
Nadia Ali Lyrics
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They're only words to fill the space, you won't explore
All your promises, I'm so naive
Because I wanted you and wanted to believe
Like I've always done
Where, where do we go, where do we go from here?
After all the thoughtless things we said
Now that all the, all the love is dead
You held the secret key straight to my soul
I gave it all to you, you took more than you know
Oh the bitter truth is that I'm better off without you
And I still I know, to let you go will take me years to do
Where do we go, where do we go from here?
After all the thoughtless things we said
Where, where do we go, where do we go from here?
Now that all the, all the love is dead
In Nadia Ali's song "Promises," the lyrics express a sense of disappointment and betrayal in a relationship that has come to an end. The singer reflects on the promises that were made, but were never fulfilled, merely serving as empty words to fill the void between them. She admits her naivety in wanting to believe in these promises, and laments on how the relationship has led to the death of their love. Despite the pain caused by the other person, the singer acknowledges that they held the secret key to her soul, giving them power over her emotions, and that it will take years to fully let go of this toxic relationship.
The chorus reflects the confusion and uncertainty in the aftermath of the breakup, asking where they go from here after all the thoughtless things they said. The repetition of this line emphasizes how lost and directionless the singer feels, and highlights the impossibility of truly moving on from this painful experience.
Line by Line Meaning
All your promises, I've said before
I have heard all your empty promises before.
They're only words to fill the space, you won't explore
Your promises are meaningless and you will not keep them.
All your promises, I'm so naive
I am foolish to believe your empty promises.
Because I wanted you and wanted to believe
I wanted to believe your promises because I wanted you.
Like I've always done
I have a tendency to believe promises even though I have learnt otherwise.
Where, where do we go, where do we go from here?
What is our next step?
After all the thoughtless things we said
After all the hurtful things we said to each other.
Now that all the, all the love is dead
Now that our love has died.
You held the secret key straight to my soul
You had the ability to touch my soul in a way no one else could.
I gave it all to you, you took more than you know
I gave you everything I had, but you still took more than you realize.
Oh the bitter truth is that I'm better off without you
The harsh reality is that I am better off without you in my life.
And I still I know, to let you go will take me years to do
I know that it will take me years to let you go, even though I know it's what I need to do.
Contributed by Sadie R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jennifer Lyn
I love Nadia’s sultry voice!
Bun B
I feel something special when I listen Nadia's voice.. It's so unique..
kimcatcat22
She's just amazing. My zen. Her music can take me to a happy place during a bad day,To go hard in the gym if i need focus, to sleep at night, and just about anything else i do.
allenCodes
Still a masterpiece in 2021.
agi18
love the vocals and the lyrics :)
darknightoftroy
Coming back to this remarkable song after a long time. Great work by all involved. Lots of talent. Hope you're all doing well.
danewalker
Getting my Nadia fix tonight! Thanks for all the great music, Nadia!!!
husain rahmat
Feel so good, people and this one(promises) my fav list from her
Ӎaɳdy Ӎaɳ
Where....Where...Where do we go???? Stadium Pastinya!!! 🇮🇩
ashley han
First time i listened to this i was high, and i thought it was fucking amazing. Her voice<3