By DeVaughn Douglas
Forward Times
https://www.forwardtimes.com/
Noah Nova doesn’t need a co-sign to define his sound. He’s already done that himself, fusing lyricism with rhythm, depth with soul, and Houston legacy with a personal flair that refuses to be boxed in. His new album Lady Friends is the latest step in a journey that began back in the fourth grade, when a young Nova, then rapping under the name Supernova, first started penning verses after school and downloading beats from LimeWire.
“When I started taking the craft seriously,” he recalled, “the first thing I knew I wanted to change was my name. Supernova was cool, but it felt like it came out of the ‘80s or something.” So he retooled it, injecting realism and personal meaning into his moniker. Noah is his birth name. Nova is the spark he brings to the mic.
His first official project Choices dropped in 2012 as a self-produced mixtape. But it wasn’t until 2023 that Nova began building a streaming catalog that reflected his evolution. That year, he released two albums: Facts of Life and So Be It, both produced by his longtime collaborator George Young. The pair first connected through a mutual friend, performing together at a showcase where Young introduced himself after their set. The bond stuck.
“George is my guy,” Nova said. “He engineered and produced both of those projects and most of this new one. We’ve got a real rhythm now. He brings that melodic vibe, that ‘70s and ‘80s feel, and we modernize it together.”
With Lady Friends, Nova leans into a sound that’s soulful and deliberate—crafted for women without ever sounding like he’s pandering, and made for men without sacrificing complexity. It’s a project that plays just as well at a crowded function as it does on a solo drive across the city.
“I wanted to make something that women could relate to but that we could relate to as men too,” Nova explained. “I wanted it to sound good at the surface level, but also carry weight for people who care about lyricism—cadences, metaphors, double entendres. That’s all in there.”
The album flows like a conversation, exploring themes of attraction, miscommunication, companionship, and independence. It’s punctuated by voicemails from women calling in search of a vibe. At the heart of it is “Alone,” a standout track that pays subtle homage to Devin the Dude while capturing the spirit of Houston’s laid-back, storytelling tradition.
“‘Alone’ might be the one,” Nova admitted. “The instrumentation, those guitar licks—it reminded me of that Doobie Ashtray era. And Devin Tha Dude was big for me. Still is.”
Still, Lady Friends isn’t a departure. It’s more of a natural expansion. Nova has never shied away from introspection. What he resists is being labeled a “backpack rapper,” a term sometimes thrown at artists who favor substance over spectacle.
“One of my close friends called me that affectionately,” he said with a laugh. “But I’m not trying to live in that box. I’m a Black man from Houston, an artist, and I like to have fun too. I’ve got range. I’m not just one thing.”
That refusal to be categorized echoes across Lady Friends. It’s Nova at his most focused and most relaxed. The album doesn’t try too hard. It doesn’t have to. That confidence flows through every hook, every voicemail, and every laid-back line.
“I feel like we did exactly what we wanted with this one,” he said. “It jams, it’s concise, and it sounds good. That was the goal.”
In a city filled with talent and tradition, Noah Nova stands out by making music that feels lived in. It’s not always loud, not always polished, but it’s always real and always evolving.
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