Name: Nnoa
Occupation: Singer, songwriter
Nationality: Austrian
Current release: Nnoa's debut Highs & Heartbreaks is out via Lazy. Get a physical copy at Nnoa's official store. 

If you enjoyed this Nnoa interview and would like to find out more about her music, visit her official homepage. She is also on Instagram, and Facebook.    



Do you think that some of your earliest musical experiences planted a seed for your interest in your voice and singing? How and when did you start singing?

I grew up in a really musical family so I literally started to sing as soon as my voice would let me.

I took my first singing lessons when I was six and played in a kids musical half a year later, which was really cool. Also I spent a lot of time on Youtube watching videos of my early idols such as Whitney Houston, Tina Turner or Christina Aguilera (I really loved Christina and Tina cause we share the same first name hehe)

If you're also playing other instruments, how does the expressive potential of these compare to your own voice?

I play the piano, and I think that has significantly influenced not only my singing style but also my writing. I love the soft and pliable sound it produces, creating a unique atmosphere when playing just one or two notes at a time.

I even wrote a song about how much I love it (‘On & On’).

What were some of the main challenges in your development as a singer/vocalist? Which practices, exercises, or experiences were most helpful in reaching your goals – were there also “harmful” ones?

It was definitely about finding my own sound. As mentioned before, I grew up listening to all the soul divas who inspired me a lot, and I used to sing all their songs. However, a vocal coach once said to me, 'Your voice is not really the powerful soul type of voice.' That hurt. Additionally, many tech people told me, 'You're too quiet; I can't mix you.' That hurt too.

Yet, later on there were two main experiences that blew my mind: studying jazz vocals and listening to Billie Eilish. That was when I realized that there's no such thing as 'too quiet' or 'you need more power.' I learned that my voice has so much more character when I stop pushing. It's not necessarily my fault if someone can't mix me live.

I also learned that easiness and lightness fit my vocals a lot better than those massive soul ballads. Moreover, I came to understand that the vocal coach mentioned earlier didn't mean to hurt me; he just had a feel for the sweet spot of my voice.

As you can see, singing is such an ongoing journey, and that's why I love it. (However, I’ll never stop to sing a good old Whitney or Chaka Khan song ;)) (Listen to „Last Goodbye“, I love singing this song)

How do you see the relationship between harmony, rhythm and melody? Do you feel that honing your sense of rhythm and groove has an effect on your singing skills?

A lot! Listening to jazz, funk, and soul music, I'd say that my way of phrasing lyrics and writing toplines is quite different from typical pop songs.

It's funny; when I'm in sessions with songwriters who mostly write pop music, they often tell me, 'That's not poppy enough!' But let me be honest: when it comes to my own music, I really can't squeeze myself into that little pop box.

Sometimes, my approach is groove and flow over lyrics. Often, there might be a 'more lyrical' way of saying things, but if it doesn't flow – it's just not for me.

What are the things you hear in a voice when listening to a vocalist? What moves you in the voices of other singers?

That’s easy – you can hear if they just sing melodies or if they really wanna tell you a story.

How would you describe the physical sensation of singing? [Where do you feel the voice, do you have a visual sensation/representation, is there a sense of release or tension etc …]

Singing is like a steady exchange of tension and relaxation. Your voice is the ultimate representation of how you feel. It's really hard to hide a weak body or a sad soul. That's what I love about it, but sometimes I also hate that. It's an old saying, but singing is like undressing.

Visually, I often think in colors when I sing, especially when I do scat solos or write lyrics

What kind of musical settings and situations do you think are ideal for your own voice?

On one hand, I really love the quiet moments when I sit down and sing with a piano.

On the other hand, I enjoy performing on big stages, but then I often move way too much because I can't restrain the adrenaline, which - let's be honest - isn't always the best thing to do to your voice.

We have a speaking voice and a singing voice. Do these feel like they are natural extensions of each other, ends on a spectrum or different in kind?

For me, the bridge between my speaking and singing voice was always quite natural. However, as a vocal coach, I encountered many students who struggled with this connection. They tended to treat their registers like completely different voices, for example, singing in head voice only.

It was so interesting for me to witness, and I learned a lot myself when working with these students.

When you're writing song lyrics, do you sense or see a connection between your voice and the text? Does it need to feel and sound “good” or “right” to sing certain words? What's your perspective in this regard of singing someone else's songs versus your own?

It's all about the flow. If it doesn't flow in my ear, I'd rather tweak the lyrics until it feels good to me. However, when I sing songs by others, I try to adapt as much as possible, but still, there might be some phrases that will never sound 'good enough' in my ears.

I'm really self-critical, though – probably no one would ever hear that, but I do ... hehe (I’d say my song “BFF” is a good reference when it comes to rhythm/groove …)

Strain is a particularly serious issue for many vocalists. How do you take care of your voice? Are the recipes or techniques to get a damaged voice back in shape?

I love a good vocal warm-up and avoid dairy, coffee, and sugar right before singing.

When I feel a lot of strain, I like to activate my whole body first before I even start to sing.