Dutch singer-songwriter and spiritual artist Neda Boin has long been known for her soul-stirring voice and deeply heartfelt music, but with her latest release, “I Release,” she peels back even more layers of vulnerability and truth. A song born from the ashes of a difficult breakup and a powerful healing journey, “I Release” captures the essence of emotional liberation and spiritual awakening. In this intimate interview, Neda opens up about the inner work that shaped the track, the alchemy of working with producer Joby Baker, her genre-defying creative process, and how the teachings of A Course in Miracles continue to guide her music—and her life.
‘I Release’ is such a deeply emotional song — what was the first moment of inspiration that sparked its creation?
I had just come out of a long and unhealthy relationship and knew that I never wanted to be in a relationship like that again. It wasn’t my first unhealthy relationship, and I was truly ready to look within and break my relationship patterns. A deep and intense healing journey unfolded to really break myself free from everything that was no longer serving me.
How did working with Joby Baker elevate the song’s message and sound?
Joby is so incredibly talented. All I know when I write a song is the feeling I want it to give people. Sometimes I hear certain instruments, but most often it is just the vibe I want it to be. Joby really brings the songs to life with his instruments and production.
You blend genres like new age, singer-songwriter, and easy listening. How do you approach genre when writing a song?
I don’t really think about those things, to be honest. I just write what comes through to me. I never sit down and think, ‘I’m gonna write a song right now’. It’s always as if the songs just come to me when they are ready to be written down. Sometimes I can feel it when I wake up. It’s like a song just knocks at my door, and I get so excited to open up and see what it sounds like. I don’t consider myself to be a songwriter really. I consider myself a great listener. I think all creations are already there. They are just waiting for listeners to hear them and bring them into this world in a way that other people can also receive them.
How do you balance vulnerability and artistry when writing about deeply personal experiences?
I believe vulnerability is strength. I never really dared to talk about my emotions when I was younger, but in my songs, I did feel safe to share them. People used to ask me, “You are such a joyful person, how come your lyrics are so sad”? It was the only place that I dared to really express myself. Now that is much more in balance. I am transparent in all of my relationships, and I have no difficulty being vulnerable. I think that when I’m fully in touch with what is alive inside of me and I dare to share that, it also gives other people the invitation to feel that safety to do so. I know that whatever I’m going through, there must be other people who experience the same in some form. So maybe there’s somewhere out there listening to my music that is going through something and wasn’t really able yet to open up about what they are feeling. I hope my music can then support them to feel heard and seen.
What does your ideal creative space look or feel like?
Literally any space can spark creativity for me. But when I write, it is usually in a quiet space where I’m by myself.
Has your time on The Voice influenced how you create music today?
It has for sure. My time on The Voice was where I truly realised that I wanted to use my voice and music solely for the purpose of remembering and extending the Love we truly are. It really helped me to make the transition from being a pop singer to making music that really inspires, uplifts and heals. I think I just needed to get a glimpse of the shallowness I felt there, to know that all that glitter and glamour could never give me what I truly longed for.
You’ve shared that A Course in Miracles influences your music. How do those teachings find their way into your lyrics?
My first album, The Light Has Come, literally uses workbook lessons of A Course in Miracles as lyrics. It’s like a musical version of the lessons, which I think really contributes to feeling the teachings in your heart, instead of just having an intellectual understanding of them. I also have multiple mantras that are based on the lessons of the Course. In my second album, Remember You’re Dreaming, and my upcoming album, Winds of Change, you can find lines from A Course in Miracles throughout almost every song. If you look closely, you can also find Course lines here and there in my latest release of ‘I Release’. And even if the lines are not literally taken from the Course, every song I write is aligned with the teachings of A Course in Miracles, which says that we are all perfect love and that God is perfect love. The beautiful teachings of ACIM are so alive and integrated inside me that I think it would be impossible for me to write something that completely goes against its teachings.
What role does silence or stillness play in your music-making process?
It’s definitely important. Like I said, I don’t really write, I listen. And there is inner stillness needed to be able to hear the songs that want to be manifested through me. I’ve been meditating daily since I was eighteen years old, which really helped me to hear my Inner Voice more clearly and quiet all the other noise that would keep me from receiving these songs or other inspiration.
Can you give us a sneak peek into what your upcoming third album might sound like?
I think people will really love it. The lyrics are like what people are used to from me, conscious, loving and inspired by A Course in Miracles and my own healing journey. As always, I use lots of organic sounds and real instruments. What will be new to previous albums is that this album will also contain a few English mantras, which will be very easy to sing along to. We’ve also experimented a bit with using medicine instruments, such as the buffalo drum, but using it in a different way than it’s traditionally used.
