Hwong’s introspective lyrics and moving melody evokes so much emotion. For their new album titled “Stay Proud of Me,” NoSo sought solace in the confines of their bedroom during the pandemic, recording most of the album. The single titled ‘Suburbia,’ was one of the first songs written, and listeners can picture the scenes of what it’s like living in the suburbs so vividly. Kpopmap had the great privilege of chatting with NoSo about their newest album amongst other interesting topics. Check out the interview below. Hello NoSo! Thank you for taking the time to hang with Kpopmap! We hope that this interview can be a time where fans can get to know you better, and readers who are not familiar with you will get to know who you are as an artist. Your debut album is titled “Stay Proud of Me.” What is the meaning and significance behind the title of your album? The title comes from a lyric in the opening track ‘Parasites’, which is about top surgery. In that song, I speak to my younger self about surgery and coming to terms with my own gender identity. I always felt like the lyric “stay proud of me” stood out and summed up the overlying theme of the record, which is learning to develop compassion for my past, present and future self. Have you been able to visit South Korea as an adult? What is South Korea to you at this stage in your life? I’ve never been to South Korea, which is so sad, but I’m determined to go! At this stage in my life, it represents hope; I’ve been learning Korean on my own for years now and have been trying to connect more with my culture. I think it would be healing for me to visit Korea after growing up in a predominately white town. What do you think you can bring to the South Korean music scene that is not already there? I would hope I could offer representation to those who might otherwise feel like they can’t express themselves fully. Through the years, I’ve become much more courageous and have turned a new leaf in embracing my true self. I grew up in an environment that ultimately made me conform and repress my emotions, but I think if I saw an artist who was unabashedly themself it would’ve encouraged me to do the same. Are there any Korean groups or singers that you listened to growing up or have recently gotten into? I’m a big fan of Soyoon! So cool. Red Velvet and BLACKPINK are my favorite groups, and Kim WanSun’s album cover inspired my cover as well. I’m really drawn to the aesthetics of 80s Korean records and wanted to create something retro and classic for my own debut. The K-Pop scene has been blowing up these past couple years. How have you felt about it as an Asian artist? It’s amazing to witness in real time. I feel immense pride when I see K-Pop artists on major music award shows intermingling with western artists - even though I’m not a K-Pop singer, it still gives me hope and encouragement. Being where you are now in life, what is something you wish you could tell your younger self, living in the suburbs of Chicago? I wish I could tell myself to remain strong and not let anyone mess with me. I let bullying and teasing from peers about my ethnicity and prominent sexuality really get to me, and I resented those aspects of myself for decades. It’s much easier said than done, kids at that age are horrible, but I’d tell myself that having a culture is a gift, and one day I’ll look in the mirror and love my features. If you weren’t a singer, songwriter, or musician, what do you think you would be doing? I still dream of acting and writing screenplays for TV/movies! When not making music, what do you find yourself doing for fun or to relax? I like to draw, write stories and go for long walks. I also like doing anything where my dog can sleep next to me comfortably (watching a show or reading a book). Koreans are really into MBTI’s (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) these days. Do you know yours and do you think it’s accurate? Yes! I’m INFJ and I think it’s very accurate; I’ve taken the test a few times with years in between and always get the same result. I’m quite introverted, idealistic, and I get deeply upset when I feel others aren’t being fair or ethical. What is a message that you want to send the readers of Kpopmap and your fans? I hope others find comfort in my debut record ‘Stay Proud of Me’ and relate to the lyrical content! And thank you to anyone who takes the time to listen to it. Thank you again, NoSo for answering these questions! We hope that you continue to find happiness and success in your music. NoSo has also just announced their first-ever U.S. tour this fall. Tickets will be on sale this Friday, September 16. Look for details here. If you want to check out NoSo’s newest music video titled ‘Parasites,’ check out the video here: Exclusive Review: NoSo’s Sold Out Show in London REVIEWS|Jul 25, 2022
