Janet Noh
Janet Noh has just released her new EP Love Me More and it’s a project you have to listen to if you need pop/r&b music that offers productions inspired by the 90s/early 2000s. Her lead single “Love Me More” blows my mind. It’s probably my favorite song on this EP. It’s empowering, powerful and it has one of the best productions ever. Hearing those crazy piano notes gets me every time.
Janet Noh is an incredible talent, don’t sleep on it and check her out now !
Love Me More is out now !
Introduce yourself - what's your story?
I'm a pop singer, songwriter, producer and classical pianist. My career's been all over the place - originally was going to be a classical pianist, then worked as an investment banker on Wall Street, then pivoted to Broadway (made my Broadway acting debut in 2020). Now pursuing my dream of working as a pop artist!
What did you grow up listening to?
Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Beyonce, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, KPOP boy bands, and all kinds of classical piano music. Oh and a load of Korean drama OST soundtracks.
When did you know you could sing?
I'm Korean and us Koreans love to karaoke, laughs. So when I was 2 or 3, my parents told me that I would sing along to the entire soundtrack of Sound of Music, which was my dad's favorite movie.
When did you start creating your own music?
I think I started improvising on piano when I was like 10? I'd start practicing some Beethoven or Chopin, and then those practice sessions often would end up with me morphing the pieces into some kind of pop-classical thing.
As a producer, could you list a few records that influenced the music you are creating today?
I just listen to everything - old and new. For my "Love Me More" EP, I took a lot of inspiration from 90's/00's music; and my co-producers and I added modern production elements to make the songs sound current. All my songwriting is very influenced by 90's/00's too since it's the music I grew up listening to.
Oh and Kanye's 'Jesus is King' album - the epic gospel sounds, I'm trying to figure out ways to work that into my new music (on lower budget lol).
When did you know you had to be an artist and release your original music?
During the pandemic. I had just made my Broadway acting debut right before Covid, but when Covid hit, Broadway went dark. So I had a lot of time to contemplate what I *really* wanted to do with my music career, and I realized that I needed to release my own original music. I'm still a theater-lover at heart, so eventually my plan is to stage my songs in a concept album for theater.
Professionally, who was the first person to ever believe in you?
One of my biggest mentors in this business is my vocal coach, Bill Riley, who is also Celine Dion's vocal coach since she was 19 years old. (Also no big deal, he was Whitney Houston's coach and worked with her on the "Bodyguard" album). He's been an incredible sounding board - pun intended - and a big believer of my artist journey. So he's been an important source of validation for me. I also call him whenever I need a spiritual pick-me-up.
"Love Me More" is your new single - what's the story/inspiration behind this single?
The pandemic was a really tough time for me emotionally, because I had just ended a toxic professional and personal relationship. So I had not only just lost a dear friend but also my closest musical collaborator up until that time. He was starting to get really negative and vitriolic, telling me crazy things like "You will never be able to do music without me" or that I had "mediocre talent" whenever he got angry. I think he was starting to feel insecure as other things were happening in his life and in my life.
So even though we had a bunch of music we were working on together at the time, I ended my journey with him and decided to start everything from scratch. I felt very alone and vulnerable, and it catapulted me into a huge journey of self-discovery, forcing me to grapple with questions like "Can I do this music thing alone?" So during the pandemic, I decided I would learn to do everything myself. I wrote new songs from scratch, I learned how to record and produce myself... I got pretty good. I mean, I was on a vengeance mission lol. But of course, music .... you can't really do it alone. Only recently was I ready to collaborate again and open myself up to other people. It's been a gentle and gradual process. But now we're here. I've shared my first EP, with "Love Me More" being the title track, and I couldn't have done it without all my collaborators.
Could you describe the songwriting/production process for this single? Who helped you create it?
I wrote the full song at my piano (as I typically do). Then I played around with making beats for it, manipulated my piano sounds, put in some groove, recorded ad libs and backing vocals. Then I sent my demo to GEKKO who fleshed out the ideas some more and added his own swag to the beat. I played with the track some more, recorded new vocals, mixed it with the production. Then sent it to Kubla Kahn to add some more production elements. Then I took another pass at mixing it. Then sent it to Brent Kolatalo for the final mix to really bring the track to life and give it that sparkle.
When I left my relationship with my former collaborator, I thought I would do everything alone. But with each step of the process above.... ironically, I was able to create a better song because I was willing to open myself up to good people.
What's your favorite lyric on "Love Me More"?
"You made me face me, gave me reason to look in my soul. Now I know.. You made me save me, baby now I know to love me more."
What message do you want to deliver through this song?
Sometimes it takes calamity to catalyze the greatest change.
In my case, I had to ask myself, why did I allow myself to believe all of his negative shit-talk about me? I knew I wasn't a "mediocre" musician, but his gas-lighting words still stung. So I wrote the song to remind myself that other people only have as much power as you give them.
Also, losing a dear friend and collaborator made me feel the most alone I had ever been; but it forced me to find comfort within myself, and face my loneliness.
So, all of this to say... I learned to "Love Me More".
What can you tell us about the artwork?
I wanted to capture something forlorn (me) but still strong and supportive (the brick wall).
What can you tell us about your new EP?
I wanted to name my EP "Love Me More" because "Love Me More" was the first song I wrote after I ended my journey with that friend. And, since all the songs on my EP have to do with various forms of self-love, I thought it would be most appropriate as a title as well.
As an artist, what is the hardest part? And what is the best part?
The ups and downs. And... the ups and downs.
How's it like to be a woman in the music industry? What advice do you want to give to female artists out there?
I would love to work with more female collaborators. Not a lot of other female producers out there, but I'm looking.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
If everyone learned to love themselves more, I think they would be better people.