Naomi by Abby Nissenbaum | Single Review

Nissenbaum channels sultry retro soul to enhance the longing felt for another woman on her latest single.

(Photo from Atwood Magazine)

It’s always refreshing to find new voices outside of Nashville’s broad country music scene. Abby Nissenbaum’s music is not only indie-rock oriented but is a welcome queer point of view in an often conservative-leaning local soundscape. Originally going to college to study Musical Theater and then Social Psychology at the University of Memphis, Nissenbaum's passion for music began to blossom in grad school, which led her to pursue a career in music in Nashville. Her latest single, “Naomi,” is a shift from her prior rock-oriented pieces released on her 2024 EP Don’t Want to Cry.

Abby dresses “Naomi” in an aching sense of longing. Nissenbaum’s vocal timbre and soulful lean remind me quite a bit of Rina Sawayama. Watery keys and a sultry sway breathe a heavy sigh of disappointment that the woman she so desperately longs for doesn’t feel the same. Abby wanted to conjure a feeling of sultriness through torchy retro production and turn of phrase:

“To really lean into the campiness, I added some elements of yé-yé, even including lyrical turns of phrase that seem innocent at first listen but could have a sharper edge if you read into them. To add another, more unique layer to the ’60s yé-yé / rock element, my producer also added a really fun trombone solo at the end of the song, which just adds to the sultriness (and drama) of the whole composition.” — Abby Nissenbaum via Atwood Magazine (2026)

My only wish is that the trombone outro was dialed back a bit in the mix. It’s a bit too sharp and thus feels like an attack on the senses, in contrast to the mellow production that puncuates her sorrow.

I liked this shift in sound from her prior indie-rock offerings into something smooth and alluring. I find it refreshing to hear the time-honored tale of unrequited love through the lens of queer romance. Nissenbaum’s voice also works nicely alongside this soulful production. The one detractor for me is the trombone solo that closes the song. It’s far too piercing to match the creaminess that the song overwhelmingly brings. I will be curious to see if Abby will continue with this sound on her upcoming EP.

My overall thoughts on “***Naomi***”

Production: 5 out of 10.

Vocals: 7 out of 10.

Songwriting: 6 out of 10.

My overall rating: 6.0 out of 10

Sources:

[embed]Premiere: Abby Nissenbaum Burns with Longing on "Naomi," a Soulful, Smoldering Torch Song - Atwood… Nashville's Abby Nissenbaum channels longing, desire, and emotional uncertainty into "Naomi," a soulful, smoldering…atwoodmagazine.com

[embed]ABBY NISSENBAUM A lifelong musician and classically-trained soprano who spent her youth performing in regional pro-am theatre…www.abbynissenbaum.com