Nectar Woode releases new single, ‘Stick Fight’, to close what has been a momentous year for the rising British-Ghanaian soul star.
“Stick Fight is a fun, upbeat song about our inner voice and how negative self-talk can make us lose sight of what truly matters: being kind to ourselves”, Nectar explains. “It’s a personal narrative on overthinking and the often pointless battles we fight (the ‘stick fight’) in our own minds; I wanted to show how it can be silenced quite easily and I hope you can sing, dance and let your hair down with this one.”
The soulful and reflective ‘Stick Fight’ was produced and written with Dom Valentino and Jay Flew on a writing retreat in Suffolk. The single follows Nectar’s remarkable July EP it’s like i never left, exploring heritage, identity, and self-love, inspired by a transformative first trip to Ghana at the top of 2025 with her father.
Listen to ‘Stick Fight’ on North London Forever.
The project includes songs inspired by her homeland, alongside collaborations with musicians she met there – the hypnotic ‘LOSE’ features mighty Ghanaian collective SuperJazzClub, whilst Jordan Rakei collaboration ‘Only Happen’ (which she performed for her debut on Later… with Jools Holland in June) is a product of a conversation between the two artists on heritage and identity. The uplifting ‘Ama Said’, an ode to her younger sister, also features saxophone played by her father.
Known for her captivating live performances, the release of the EP was followed by a summer of festival appearances, including multiple memorable sets at Glastonbury Festival, having been selected as a BBC Introducing artist and also playing sessions for Dermot O’Leary and The Treehouse. She additionally performed at The Great Escape, Jazz Café Festival, Love Supreme and Kendal Calling. Nectar has played over 50 shows this year, including opening for Nao and Norah Jones and global shows in Japan, Ghana, France, Réunion Islands and more.
‘Stick Fight’ arrives following her biggest sold-out headline show to date at Village Underground, with Nectar currently on tour supporting Joy Crookes across the UK and EU. Nectar was also invited to perform at the Royal Albert Hall alongside Matt Berninger and Bastille for Streets of London’s Starry Night Charity Concert, on December 10.
