No Sleep, No Days Off: Inside Naomi Sharon’s Restless Rise

No Sleep, No Days Off: Inside Naomi Sharon’s Restless Rise An RNBSOULSA Interview

As Naomi Sharon continues introducing No Sleep In Paradise to the world, the Dutch singer-songwriter has been balancing album promotion, touring across Europe and preparing for her first North American headline tour. We were honoured to catch up with her over Zoom, dialling in from South Africa while she was in the middle of a busy stretch in New York, to talk about life after the album’s release, becoming the first female artist signed to OVO Sound, the inspiration behind her latest project, and why she believes South Africa is a destination that has to happen.

Calling in from New York, Naomi Sharon sounded upbeat despite the whirlwind schedule. “I’m doing pretty good. We’ve been running around New York, so it’s exciting,” she said, adding that she’d be heading back home later that night after a busy stretch on the road.

We asked whether touring Europe had given her any real downtime, and she was quick to set the record straight  a break is the last thing on her mind right now. “To be honest, it doesn’t really feel like a break because we just put the album out, so there’s no time to slow down. You just keep going,” she explained. With her own North American headline tour kicking off on the 10th of September, rest is firmly on hold.

The conversation soon turned to South Africa, a topic she clearly couldn’t avoid even if she wanted to. We asked if local fans might finally get to see her live, and Naomi Sharon lit up. “I see it in the comments all the time my South African fans always asking when I’m coming,” she said. “I’d love nothing more than to make it happen. It just takes the right people coming together to get it done.” We pressed her on whether that meant South Africa simply needed to book her, and she laughed and confirmed as much: “Yeah, that’s what needs to happen. I would love to come out and do a show there, whether it’s a concert or a festival.”

We asked about her time touring Europe, and she spoke fondly of performing in countries she’d never visited before, including Portugal and Poland. What struck her most, she said, wasn’t just the novelty of new stages but how many fans already knew the words to her music. Meeting people she’d never crossed paths with before and feeling that instant connection, she said, was one of the more special parts of the run.

We then asked about her landmark signing as the first female artist on OVO Sound. She described the moment as a genuine honour, but was careful not to let the achievement define her. “Being the first woman on the label is an honour,” she said. “But after that, you still have to put the work in. People might think it’s the biggest achievement, and it is special, but you still have to go out there, show up and keep working every day.”

We asked how she’s adjusted to life and career outside of her native Netherlands, and she reflected on how differently hospitality shows up across cultures. She spoke about embracing the best of each place she’s worked in, noting that the openness and warmth she’s experienced in America  people freely showing affection and appreciation  has left a lasting impression on her.

Then we asked about the story behind the album’s title itself. No Sleep In Paradise, she explained, was born out of an intense five-week writing stretch in Los Angeles where sleep barely factored in. She described LA as a city often mythologised as paradise, a place where almost anything feels possible, but admitted the title was also a nod to romanticising the grind  the constant, sleepless work that shaped the record.

We circled back to South Africa one final time, and Naomi Sharon didn’t shy away from addressing the noise directly. She acknowledged that talks about a possible festival appearance had fallen through, whether for this past summer or the year ahead, but said she still has a strong feeling it will happen eventually. When we told her that conversations were already underway on our end to bring her out, she didn’t hesitate. “Exactly,” she said. “If you want to see me in South Africa, you know what you’ve got to do.”

Throughout our Zoom call, one thing became clear: Naomi Sharon is enjoying one of the busiest periods of her career, but she’s embracing every moment of it. From connecting with new audiences across Europe to preparing for her North American tour, she’s continuing to build on the momentum of No Sleep In Paradise. And if her message to South African fans is anything to go by, the possibility of finally seeing her perform locally may be closer than many think.