Surinamese-Dutch folk-pop artist néomí announces her new EP 'Crunchy, Sad and Strangely Happy' out Sept 18th via Nettwerk + releases new single "Close"
LISTEN “CLOSE” HERE
PRE-SAVE HERE
PRAISE FOR NEOMI
“néomí has been quietly building a name for herself over the past few years, releasing a string of gentle, introspective folk-pop EPs that favour emotional depth over big production." – DORK
"Intricate, intimate, texturally spare, lyrically observational and arresting, the six songs are like snapshots that capture your attention and draw you in." - SUNDAY TIMES 'Breaking Act'
"Surinamese-Dutch artist néomií has been consistently impressive since her 2022 emergence, and shows superb artistic progression with a terrific new single. Sublime harmonies, intricate instrumentation and a rousing chorus mean “somebody’s daughter” is an undeniable success." - WONDERLAND MAGAZINE
"néomí has shared a beautiful, introspective release “skipping stone”. From the raw lyricism to the artist's somber delivery and angelic harmonies, this release is just as captivating as its storyline." - THE LINE OF BEST FIT
"Singer/songwriter néomí dives into the heartbreak, the healing, and everything else that went into her breathtakingly vulnerable and beautifully raw sophomore EP 'after.'" - ATWOOD MAGAZINE
"Recording under the moniker néomí, Speelman crafts soul-stirring chamber pop and ethereal folk"
- UNDER THE RADAR
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Following the emotional impact of recent singles “Didn’t I” and “Catch You”, Dutch-Surinamese singer-songwriter néomí returns to announce her forthcoming EP ‘Crunchy, Sad and Strangely Happy’, arriving September 18th via Nettwerk, alongside the release of its deeply intimate new single “Close”.
A swirling, emotionally conflicted piece of indie folk-pop, “Close” explores the addictive nature of unhealthy love; the kind that lingers long after it should have ended. Built around néomí’s delicate yet emotionally charged vocal delivery, the track captures the exhausting tension between two people unable to let each other go.
“Close is a song that is actually very much about an unhealthy form of love,” néomí explains. “The push and pull relationship where you don’t want to be together but also don’t want to let go. It is about desperately holding on, going back and forth with each other’s emotions. Think about avoidant/anxious attachment styles, bound to be together. Love can feel like a drug when it is felt like that, as if you can’t live without each other so that’s the reason why you have to stay close.
“I’d advise you to let go instead of holding on but, love is a powerful thing, and the heart wants what it wants I suppose… luckily we have songwriting to cope with that haha. I hope, but also don’t hope you connect to the song.”
Musically, “Close” balances emotional devastation with effortless melodic warmth, unfolding with the soft intimacy and cinematic restraint that have become signatures of néomí’s work. The result is both heartbreaking and strangely comforting; a song suspended between yearning and acceptance.
The single also marks the official announcement of néomí’s new EP ‘Crunchy, Sad and Strangely Happy’, a project shaped by emotional contradiction, personal upheaval and constant movement between cities, tours and songwriting sessions across Nashville, Los Angeles, London and Rotterdam.
“I hope when you read that title you find it utterly strange because, I believe it is and it should be,” she says. “To me working on this body of work has been an absolute disaster and treat at the same time. I’ve met so many wonderful and amazing people along the way. Maybe I even experienced the most beautiful moments of my life while actually feeling the worst.”
Describing the project as a reflection on growth through discomfort, néomí explains that the EP embraces emotional duality rather than trying to resolve it. “Beauty exists in the weird, crunchy moments,” she says. “And to be strangely happy, you’ll unfortunately have to be sad too.”
Written while navigating relentless touring and transatlantic writing trips, the EP captures a period of exhaustion, vulnerability and emotional honesty, while still leaving room for humour, spontaneity and joy. Tracks like “Close” and “For a Minute” emerged instinctively and naturally, balancing the heavier emotional undercurrents with moments of levity and release.
The release also precedes a string of headline dates in October, bringing néomí’s captivating live presence to stages across the Netherlands:
LIVE DATES
10.07.26 – Slotzeist Live, Zeist (Tamino support)
11.07.26 – Vijverfestival, Dilbeek
08.08.26 – Absolutely Free Festival, Genk
16-19.09.26 – Reeperbahn Festival, Hamburg (date TBC)
03.10.26 – Vegafabriek, Kolderveen
08.10.26 – Patronaat, Haarlem
10.10.26 – EKKO, Utrecht
16.10.26 – Hall of Fame, Tilburg
17.10.26 – Rotown, Rotterdam
18.10.26 – Doornroosje, Nijmegen
22.10.26 – Trix, Antwerp
24.10.26 – Prachtwerk, Berlin
Since the release of her acclaimed debut album ‘somebody’s daughter’ and follow-up EP ‘Another Year Will Pass’, néomí has continued to establish herself as one of Europe’s most quietly captivating songwriters. Her blend of ethereal folk-pop, chamber textures and poetic vulnerability has earned praise from publications including The Sunday Times, Dork and The Line of Best Fit, while comparisons to artists like Laura Marling, Phoebe Bridgers and Daughter continue to follow her growing rise.
With ‘Crunchy, Sad and Strangely Happy’, néomí leans fully into contradiction; sadness and relief, chaos and clarity, heartbreak and humour, emerging with a body of work that feels deeply human in all its messiness.
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