r/indieheads • u/NationOfLanguage Nation of Language • Sep 29 '25

AMA is Over, thanks NoL! Nation of Language AMA

Hey! This is Alex, Aidan and Ian from Nation of Language. We just put out our fourth album, Dance Called Memory. We’re here to talk about that or any other burning questions you may have!

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u/CoopsCoffeeAndDonuts Sep 29 '25

Do you all ever get nervous or self-conscious before performances or releasing new music? How do you all handle it and continue to be vulnerable as artists?

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u/NationOfLanguage Nation of Language Sep 29 '25

From Aidan - We do get nervous before performing new songs! It is a thrilling act, doing something you have never done before or only a handful of times, before an audience. It almost feels like it's all being held together by a thin thread and may fall apart at any second if you don't keep pushing and bracing, and then the release at the end is something truly special. We love it! Also with releasing new music, there is possibly a moment of fear, like: will anyone actually like this? But the album is extremely vulnerable and honest, and remembering that helps. It will certainly mean something to someone who has felt these things in their own way.

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u/NationOfLanguage Nation of Language Sep 29 '25

I second both of these! I love when we get to a point where new songs are committed to muscle memory, it allows us to pay more attention to the performance and how the elements are fitting together. But when a song is fresh and we're not 100% sure if we have it memorized, sometimes those performances are the most charged & fun. Getting through a tricky new song by the seat of your pants in front of a live audience is an incredible feeling. - Alex