One of the stars of Netflix’s ‘GLOW’ brings female-empowering pop music to Charlotte

British pop singer Kate Nash has long championed female empowerment through frank, vulnerable songwriting about sexuality and relationships and the bumps and bruises life inflicts.

But last year, the UK Top 40 artist put on her acting cap and merely pretended to sustain bumps and bruises — as one of the stars of the Netflix original series “GLOW,” an ’80s-drenched, wrestling-themed dramedy in which she plays aspiring pro wrestler Britannica in the ring and Marc Maron’s sometime love interest, Rhonda, outside of it.

“Being around so many supportive women encourages me to be an advocate for myself,” says Nash, following sound check Tuesday in Montreal. “We all love each other and it’s a very unique situation I feel honored to be a part of.”

Nash’s current “Yesterday Was Forever Tour” hits The Underground Sunday.

Part of advocating for herself was writing and recording her second fan-funded album, which was five years in the making. On it, she tackles mental health issues as well as the typical love and relationship territory.

“Being an artist often means struggling with something and you express yourself through music. And music helps people when they’re struggling,” she says of approaching songs like the current single “Life in Pink” with lighter, poppier melodies and fun, humorous videos. “Some of the most difficult times I’ve had, I’ve had the best laughs through them. Life is to be enjoyed.”

Nash’s maturity and joy is partly due to the freedom that wrestling has offered, although she admits she didn’t know much about the field before meeting trainer and former WWE star Chavo Guerrero Jr., an adviser on the series whose uncle worked as a trainer on the real life “Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling” that the show is based on.

“It changed my life,” says Nash. “He taught us about the culture of wrestling and gave us all these documentaries to watch.”

She admits she was terrified to take a bump at first.

“We were all genuinely scared, (but) it has given me this new physical relationship with myself and boosted my confidence,” she says. “It’s amazing to be able to push yourself physically. It reminds you how mentally and physically there’s so much more we can achieve.”

This story was originally published April 26, 2018 at 8:11 PM with the headline "One of the stars of Netflix’s ‘GLOW’ brings female-empowering pop music to Charlotte."