For Plain Text Daily 001, I sat down with Houston artist Noah Nova to talk about 4Get Me Not, his fourth album produced entirely by George Young. We got into life since Lady Friends, how he builds a song, the Houston scene, and other things. Here’s the full conversation.
Personal progression
It’s been about a year since Lady Friends dropped. How’s life been since then, and what else have you been working on?
Life’s been great. In short, it’s all about progression. Growth, learning, adapting, and continuing to be solution based.
What does “solution based” mean in the hip hop world?
When you see an incomplete equation, you solve it… I’m joking. Every time I make music, first and foremost I want to make sure I appreciate it. That I enjoy it, and that I’m bringing something to the culture I love. Ultimately it’s about continued progression, continued growth, and finding different ways to make dope music that people can jam to, but hopefully relate to in their own way.
The new album: Forget Me Not
You’ve got new content out, so I’m guessing a new album. How many tracks, who’s on it, and who did you work with on production?
This is the fourth installment of a Noah Nova and George Young production. Shout out to G Young. The album is called 4Get Me Not, and I’m obsessed with it. I could see George’s excitement. He tried some different things creatively on the production side and I welcomed all of it. I suggested things, he suggested things, and like we’ve grown accustomed to, we’ve figured each other out. We trust one another and we keep pushing ourselves forward.
The first single, “The Answer,” drops October 2nd *out now*. This album is personal. We’re getting back to the bars. I never left the bars, even though on Lady Friends I feel like I snuck some in, to an extent. This time the subject matter is more diverse, and the production is too. We’re just here to push ourselves and make the best music we can.
Creative influences
What separates this album from Lady Friends or the other installments? I didn’t even know it was the fourth.
We drew a lot of influence from personal favorites. J Dilla, rest in peace. Knowledge, shout out to Knowledge. There’s always going to be influence from Nas, because he’s one of my favorites. These are people who challenged me, first and foremost as a listener, with storytelling, triple and double entendres, wordplay, and literary devices. I’m a fan of writing. First and foremost, I’m a writer. So we pushed ourselves to do some different things, and I’m excited for y’all to hear it.
Album themes and goals
Are you hoping the album hits any goals, or is it more about a new experience?
I ain’t going to lie, we’re all getting older. The climate is what it is. At this point my main focus is making sure I enjoy the music, while also making sure it’s palatable, understandable, and hopefully relatable. There’s a lot of vulnerability and transparency on this album. I’m not trying to be a superhero out here. I’m just trying to tell my story the best way I can, so people can find themselves in some of these stories. And I’ll see them at the shows.
Other than “The Answer,” is there one song that sticks out? Something personal that you hold close to your heart?
I don’t want to give a bland answer, but this album is made up of a lot of those songs. One is about my current relationship with my mother, a real-time update. One is about an aunt I lost recently. Several are about the growth I’ve experienced with my father. There are friendships, and women, because women will always be a muse in my music. Picking one is hard. The outro is crazy. The intro is crazy. We picked “The Answer” as the first single for a reason, and there’s another one called “I Needed This” that’s great. Please listen to the whole album and enjoy it the way we created it, at least the first or second time through.
Collaborations and features
Are there any features?
George is always welcome to have a verse on my albums, and he has one on this album. I don’t want to give too much away, but when I choose features, it’s extremely intentional. They always bring their world into the world G and I continue to create. Every feature on this album did their thing. They rose to the occasion, entered my world, brought their own, and we made great music together.
Studio process and rituals
Do you have any studio rituals people wouldn’t know about? Do you start with the hook or the beat?
It depends on the song. Working with George, I usually start with the beat. I take it home and listen to it 77 times. I’ve definitely grown as a songwriter, so when I orchestrate a song I usually start with the hook. That gives me the theme of the record, and then I craft the first verse. Sometimes I’ll start with the verse, feed off the energy of it, and then write the hook. Or I’ll create a pre-hook or a bridge, especially if I have a singer in mind. Most times it’s beat, hook, then verses.
Career highlights
If someone’s hearing Noah Nova for the first time, what’s one track you’d want them to hear?
That’s tough. Shout out to Nas, “One Mic.” Okay… on my birthday last year, while everybody was wishing me happy birthday on X, I asked them for their personal top three Noah Nova songs. The overwhelming majority said “Smile for Me.” I wrote that song about my relationship with my mother at that time, and for my mother, from my perspective. A lot of people related to it and told me so. I tap into a certain energy where the thoughts are streaming and the lyrics come instantaneously, and that’s one of my favorites.
Another is the first song George and I ever recorded together, “Pour Out a Little Liquor,” from our first album. I’ve got a lot of songs I love. I’m very proud of the consistency in the quality and the output. Shout out to G Young. Even when he annoys me, we still find a way to make beautiful music. It’s all about the music.
The local music scene
Slightly off topic, but what’s the local scene like right now, and who besides you should people be paying attention to?
Our scene is thriving. There are a lot of artists doing their thing. Shout out to my boy Bingo. You’ve also got George Young as an artist and rapper, as well as a producer. We come from the same city, but we don’t sound the same, and that’s a beautiful display of the diversity you get from artists who come from our city. You’ve got people who rap fast, people who rap in couplets, people who rap in stanzas. Some are extremely reflective, some speak toward the life they want to live. You’ve got the flashy ones and the gritty ones. They all have their own brand, their own name, their own team, and their own supporters, which is more respectful than saying fans. Shout out to everybody doing their thing. Hopefully we collaborate very soon.
What’s next
What’s next after this drop?
The first single, “The Answer,” drops October 2nd. The album drops very soon, and I’ll be announcing it officially. I’ll keep dropping clips and promoting myself, my team, and the music. I dropped my first album in 2023, and George and I have never looked back. Hopefully y’all rock with it, and I’ll see you at the show very soon.
Anything you want to say or include?
Shout out to you, Marcus, for holding me down. I started accumulating beautiful imagery to pair with the audio because of you. Many a Sunday we’d get up, do what we needed to do, and make some great stuff. It’s all about Forget Me Not, the music, the promotion, and the artistry overall, including the visuals. Shout out to all the artists in my city and beyond: whether your audience is one person or a million, your voice does matter. Continue to grow. I’ll see you at the top.
Why “4Get Me Not”?
Last question. Why 4Get Me Not?
It’s a play on a couple of things. First, “four.” This is the fourth album George has completely produced for me, so for-get-me-not. Second, I don’t make music just for the now. Hopefully with this next project and the previous three, whoever rocks with me will continue to, because of the quality of the music and the work we put in. I’m not ashamed to say I want more people to lock in with me. If it’s one song you love from a 15-song album or all 15, I love you the same and I appreciate you the same. Let me know in the comments. You can find the music on Apple Music, Spotify, and SoundCloud.
Independent to the core
The support for one never goes unseen, and it always matters. I’m an independent artist to the core. I do not have a label backing. Everything you see, Noah pays for, out of my own pocket. I have a regular corporate job, and I was off today. It’s hot as hell, but Marcus was gracious enough to sit in the sun with me and make this happen. If you relate to that in any way, hopefully you’ll check out the music and become a supporter. We love all our supporters, and hopefully we continue to grow the audience we’re building.