NAO Is Embracing Change and Returning to Her Jazz Roots With Autumn

There's something beautiful about an artist reaching a point in their career where they no longer feel the need to prove they belong in one particular sound. And NAO seems to be embracing that freedom.

The British singer has released Autumn, a 10-track album that reconnects her with her jazz foundations while introducing a new creative direction.

Released October 16 through Little Tokyo Recordings, the project is the first installment in A Soulful Suite, a planned four-part series inspired by different musical influences and seasons.

For listeners who discovered NAO through her distinctive blend of alternative R&B, electronic soul, and funk, this chapter offers something different. But it also makes perfect sense.

Before the R&B, There Was Jazz

Long before NAO became known for her unmistakable voice and genre-bending records, she studied vocal jazz at London's Guildhall School of Music & Drama. That background now takes center stage.

Created alongside musician and producer Dave Okumu, Autumn draws inspiration from live instrumentation and the freedom of improvisation.

Rather than relying entirely on polished studio production, the project developed through intimate musical sessions, including spontaneous gatherings in NAO's living room.

In an industry where artists are often expected to deliver the next big single, NAO is exploring what happens when the music is allowed to breathe.

Making Space for a Different Season

The album explores change, vulnerability, love, and renewal. And honestly, the title couldn't be more fitting.

Autumn is a season of transition. Things fall away, routines shift, and sometimes growth requires releasing what no longer fits.

NAO isn't abandoning the sound that introduced her to audiences. She's allowing herself to explore the musical influences that helped shape it.

Because sometimes the most interesting thing an artist can do isn't reinvent themselves. It's return to a part of themselves the world hasn't fully heard yet.

NAO's Autumn is available now on streaming platforms.

Are you here for NAO's jazz era, or are you still holding on to her earlier alternative R&B sound?