Noso

A Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter who channels intricate personal feelings into appealing indie pop, NoSo first put out music toward the close of the 2010s. Following a signing with Partisan Records, the artist delivered a debut full-length in the form of 2022's Stay Proud of Me.

NoSo, the endeavor of Chicago-born Baek Hwong, serves as shorthand for "North/South" in reference to Korean roots. Having played guitar from the age of 12, Hwong turned seriously to songwriting while attending the University of Southern California to study popular music. The 2018 release of "Allie" marked the first appearance, a warmly melodic track that highlighted a distinctive percussive guitar approach alongside airy vocals. By 2021 Hwong had identified as nonbinary, allowing an evolving examination of gender identity to surface more clearly in the writing. After entering the Partisan Records lineup, the artist released "Suburbia," a luminous indie pop number exploring growth and nostalgia through dense synth textures and ringing guitars. The following year brought the arrival of the debut album Stay Proud of Me, an absorbing account of coming of age conveyed via softly stacked arrangements and candid lyrics.