Receiving a little red microphone from her dad at just five years old, Barbara Nadas grew up performing for family and friends in Hungary, and received plenty of support for her musical dreams. Starting on drums from an early age (her late father also played), performing in a cover band in her teens (for 10 years), Nadas was later cast as Lambchops’ in the Hungarian Operetta Theatre production of Fame. With instinctual rhythm from her early instrumentals, Nadas’ music showcases more than just mainstream pop (as reflected in 2024’s debut Stay). “It was important to me that I blend pop with other genres and I really love funk and soul. I don't want to put myself into a box,” she says. “I stay in the range of pop, but spice it up with musical elements.” With a combination of dance, jazz, soul, reggae, and rap flavoring, Nadas is not your typical popstar.
Hungarian vocal coaches Orsi Szatmári and Anita Csoka were pivotal to Nadas’ growth, with Szatmári singing the theme to a popular television series (which Nadas heard daily), and opera singer Csoka helping push her technical ability and overall confidence. “We had to work on my inner self, to believe that I'm a good songwriter, that my lyrics make sense, and to perform those songs—not just sing them,” adds Nadas. Recording a cappella into her phone, she was introduced to Hungarian producer Krisztián Burai through a friend, Burai produced the track within a few hours, and Nadas was hooked. Their music video (“Semmit nem ér(sz)”) has since been watched almost 1.5 million times. Says Nadas, “Nothing beats the songwriting process when you hear your idea born.”
Continuing to pursue her passion, Nadas was still expected to train for a stable job, and completed a degree in economics. “Sometimes I felt like a UFO in my family,” admits Nadas. “Nobody really has this artistic way of thinking. They are more material and business people.” She flew to the United States for the first time in 2018 and everything changed. “I finished college, took a Berklee five-week summer course, and could finally focus on music and myself.” She wanted to continue professionally. Feeling like her years to be on stage were limited, she says, “that was the point I [realized] I have no time for joking around. I really have to do this now.” Her time in Boston inspired her debut album, Stay (2024). “I had a few Hungarian songs in my pocket,” says Nadas, but “Berklee influenced me to write in English and deep dive into my feelings.”
Originally meeting artist-producer Smithmusix (Norbert Kovács) through a dating app, they never actually dated, but quickly jumped into songwriting (and still work together). Her work with GRAMMY- winning producer Mark Urselli came following selection of her song “Lawyer of the Earth” as part of a production contest. Chosen from almost 100 submissions, Urselli’s praise gave further credence to Nadas' English material.
What makes a great song? “Soulful tones and chords, and an inspiration to move or feel deeply,” says Nadas, and her creative process starts with an emotion ready to be expressed. “I usually write the lyrics together with the melody, [but] don't really know where it comes from, it's like a download.” Inspired by music of all genres, and tracks and instrumentals forwarded by her producers, she tries to imagine what the music around the emotion she is feeling would sound like. Her lyrical component is strict, holding a specific moral to the story, while instrumentals can be more diverse.
Recognizing each song as representing a better, more healed version of herself, Nadas adds, “I want to express things people are afraid to express in more of my songs. I have always been like that. I can't keep my mouth shut.”
Contact: Maverick Alexander - Miller PR, maverick@miller-pr.com;
Visit Barbara Nadas, barbaranadasmusic.com
