NoSo Shares New Single “Parasites”
NOSO
SHARES NEW SINGLE
“PARASITES”
WATCH NOSO’S SELF-DIRECTED VIDEO HERE
DEBUT LP ‘STAY PROUD OF ME’ OUT JULY 8 VIA PARTISAN
More on the inspiration behind the song, from NoSo: “I made the instrumental and it sat in my DAW (digital audio workspace) for a long time, but I didn’t know what I wantehttps://open.spotify.com/album/7hN9w3VNhYlxUeSPyWjhxZ?si=PQH66YRCSpyMaH08N2z9kgd to write about. I didn’t have any romantic interests or typical gay pining going on, so I felt stuck. I shelved it for months, then had top surgery on Jan 8, 2020, which prohibited me from playing music for six weeks.
After I healed, I revisited the song and grappled with what I wanted to say. The instrumental felt dreamy and romantic, but I didn’t want to keep writing romantic songs about other people; I just had a significant procedure that brought repressed memories to the surface, and I needed to express it somehow.
I decided to speak to my younger self in ‘Parasites’. The opening verses describe me waking up post surgery (where I was loopy and left alone for a moment so I sang ‘On My Own’ from Les Miserables), being wheeled to the car, and my earliest childhood memories with gender confusion. Through the song, I assure younger Abby that there’s hope in the future, and to stick around to experience it.”
“Parasites” was premiered by Matt Wilkinson at AppleMusic1 this morning, and follows previous singles “Suburbia,” “David,” and “Honey Understand.” Those singles earned NoSo early acclaim from NPR’s All Songs Considered, Billboard, Fader, DIY, CLASH, Consequence of Sound, Uproxx, slumber, Line of Best Fit, BBC Radio 1/Jack Saunders ‘Next Wave‘, Apple Music1/Matt Wilkinson, KCRW + more.
NoSo just wrapped up two runs of East Coast tour dates supporting Yumi Zouma and Molly Burch. July 8 they will perform at Gold Digger’s in LA for a headline release day performance, tickets for that show are on sale now (here). Later this summer, NoSo will head to the UK for their first-ever overseas performances, before returning to the US to open for Lucy Dacus on a pair of August dates. Full UK dates below, more dates to be announced soon.
Hwong wrote and recorded much of ‘Stay Proud Of Me’ alone during quarantine in their bedroom, studying any non-guitar instruments they weren’t as proficient in along the way. The result is a deeply earnest coming-of-age story, and a nuanced introduction to NoSo’s universe. Their stage name is shorthand for North/South: a nod to their Korean heritage, and the inane origin question (“Which Korea are you from?“) that so many Korean Americans inevitably face. Throughout ‘Stay Proud Of Me,’ NoSo indirectly confronts the insecurities and frustrations that can arise from the Asian-American experience, ending up feeling like a balm for the alienated.
‘Stay Proud Of Me’ grapples with the search for a sense of identity, overcoming impostor syndrome, and repressed memory – its power stemming from NoSo’s universal tenderness and a singular perspective to affect the hearts of many. The marriage of their lyrics and captivating guitar performance feels magical, as if NoSo can open up portals to fantastic new realms, guided by an emotional honesty that breaks you down in one moment and fills you with joy in the next.
‘Stay Proud Of Me’ tracklist
1. Parasites
2. Suburbia
3. David
4. I Feel You
5. I’m Embarrassed
6. Honey Understand
7. Sorry I Laughed
8. Feeling Like A Woman Lately
9. Man Who Loves You
10. Everything I’ve Got
‘Stay Proud Of Me’ album artwork
NoSo UK 2022 tour dates
07/20 – London, UK @ The Waiting Room
07/ 22 – Cheshire, UK @ Bluedot Festival