intro by madden levin
interview by cami liberty
photo by stefanie moser
With music often described as refreshing yet classic and soothing, goodboy noah opens up a bit with us about how — and if — his process has been affected by the pandemic and the newest music that fans can enjoy NOW! Make sure you check out his newest song “uptight” now and keep an eye out for the new video – you won’t want to miss it. Follow goodboy noah on social media to stay updated on future projects and more refreshing tunes!
Many artists have been finding new ways to stay inspired throughout the pandemic. How has it affected you and your creativity process?
goodboy noah: “I've always written and recorded most of my songs in my bedroom anyways, so my process hasn't really changed much. I have my few close friends that I make everything with, so we were still able to see each other and get busy. And it’s forced me to just make other stuff from home, like these animal drawings on TikTok that I make songs over. So if anything, it’s amplified my creativity. But I definitely want it to end please.”
How would you describe your music to those who have not heard it yet?
goodboy noah: “I'd say it's like if Justin Timberlake and Sinbad the comedian in his prime had a baby and then Nate Dogg and Anderson .Paak had a baby and then those two baby's grew up and made a baby. That's me.”
You just released your new single “uptight.” Can you tell us a bit about the song and the process of creating it?
goodboy noah: “The song is basically about your significant other being a real stick in the mud. I took some inspo from one of my past relationships in the line, ‘you got mad up on my birthday.’ ‘Cause she really did get all mean and mad for no reason, and I was like, ‘what the heckfire?’ I wrote the song with my producer Micah Gordon. He came to me with the beat, and we wrote the song over it. And then he played the piano line on a baby grand piano that we recorded through an iPhone.”
You released a video for “uptight” as well! How was it filming the video and how did you ensure it would really make the song come to life?
goodboy noah: “We had the idea of making a western music video where I’m a bounty hunter chasing after this badass female outlaw. The intro piano especially really fit the vibe of a western. Since we didn’t have much of a budget, we couldn’t afford real horses. So we asked ourselves what the next best thing would be, and we came to the obvious conclusion of hobby horses. We figured the viewing public wouldn’t be able to spot the difference anyways. Shooting the video was a blast, but I really don’t know how people used to walk around all day in cowboy boots. Shoulda brought my Dr. Scholls inserts.”
Before “uptight” you released “tie down,” the first song off of your upcoming debut EP. What does this song mean to you and why did you choose “tie down” to be released first?
goodboy noah: "‘tie down’ felt like the perfect re-introduction to my music after a year-long hiatus from releasing anything. And then the second single ‘dial tone’ felt like the perfect transition into ‘uptight.’ I'm kind of building up to where my sound is currently at with these releases. I have a ton of music in the can. And that can is getting ready to burst. So stay back ‘cause the lid is sharp when it comes flying off. But inside are songs that hit like some delicious Bush's baked beans.”
What can we expect from the rest of your debut EP?
goodboy noah: “The rest of the EP might actually be my favorite songs from the project. There are two bouncy bangerinos and one slower one that reminds me of some old Ne-Yo, but like, if I made it. I listened to a lot of Ne-Yo growing up. Like a lot. Can't wait to drop the EP, holy crap.”