We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful BELLE NOVVA. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with BELLE below.

Alright, BELLE thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

This is probably a cliché sentiment, but the most important project to me is the entirety of BELLE NOVVA. One of my passions is writing, so I received a Bachelor’s degree in English. I think that’s essentially what provided me the skillset and knowledge that I obtained in order to execute the BELLE NOVVA PROJECT. It originally began with a story line of an alternate universe and its creation. I wanted to explore and experiment with ideas about simulation theory, augmented reality, and other things that intrigued me. I have always loved both writing and music, but it didn’t occur to me that I could fuse these ideas into a storyline that is conveyed through music and visual art. About 3 years ago, I sat down and wrote out an expansive plot that takes place in the universe I wanted to create. Then, I focused on the character of BELLE (myself) and how she/I would interact in this universe. After that, I broke the entire story into different arcs and how the sonic signature is going to evolve with the evolution of this universe. When everything was all written and planned out, I realized that the next step was to learn how to play the piano, learn music theory and production, and composition. During this time, COVID was at its peak and I had a lot of time to myself, so I focused on honing my skills. When I got more comfortable with how to use the audio software, I began working on my first album. It’s an EP titled “GENESIS” and it represents both the beginning of the story as well as the birth of a new universe. Essentially, I wanted to make an album that replicates how I feel the Big Bang would sound if it were translated to music. I have the first draft of it completed, and I am currently in the process of experimenting more, mixing, and mastering. As I mentioned before, each album represents a different chapter in the larger story. There are going to be 3 EPs, and (at least) 7 LPs for this particular storyline. The EPs are from the perspective of the “creators” and the LPs are from the perspective of the “created.” BELLE NOVVA is created within the parameters that were established for this universe. Basically to sum up my answer, every project is meaningful to me because they represent different stages or arcs within the main project.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

As I mentioned previously, I got into the music industry by happenstance. I have always loved music; I taught myself guitar at age 16 and was involved in choir (traditional and show choir) from the 2nd grade up until graduate school. I started singing when I first learned how to speak, mimicking singers that I loved as a toddler (namely Shania Twain and Britney Spears). My musical abilities were recognized by peers and music teachers, but I was unable to afford music or vocal lessons growing up. Choir taught me so many invaluable lessons, musically and philosophically. I loved being in an ensemble because I loved the feeling of being a part of something beautiful. And because I couldn’t afford vocal lessons (although I deeply wanted them), every one on one interaction and rehearsal with choir directors provided me with the knowledge I craved in order to improve. However, when it came to doing solos or anything where the spotlight was pointed to me, I froze up. There was a part of me that wanted to be a solo musician and to perform, but my self esteem was so low that I didn’t pursue opportunities that I would currently.

I have also loved to write since I was a child, which was also encouraged by a few impactful teachers. Although I had a change of majors in college, I ultimately decided pursuing English Literature and Writing as my career path. I wanted to become an impactful teacher in my own right, and so I went back to school for my Master’s in Teaching English. I absolutely love teaching, but I felt like I was missing something — I just didn’t know what that was. Flash forward to Spring of 2020, I was finishing up my student teaching before all the schools were shut down. Everything became virtual and I started spending a lot more time home alone, as did many others at the time. But during this time of isolation, I decided to utilize it to learn how to play piano. Then I entered the Instagram giveaway where I won my synthesizer, and the rest I divulged already.

I think the main thing that I am focused on in creating music and writing poetry/song lyrics is how I can use these forms of expression as a means of teaching. I want to synthesize my passions for writing, story telling, teaching, and composing music in my projects. These components of my creativity are always going to evolve and improve, and I hope my work thus far has provided only a glimpse of that.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

This is another cliché statement, but honestly the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the act of creating itself. Seeing / hearing an idea or concept evolve into something real is a such a profound experience, it’s hard for me to put it into words. Also knowing that my music and art are immortalized and are permeating the universe infinitely is such a humbling and beautiful feeling.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Something I had to unlearn was the need to compare myself to others. It’s extremely easy to get lost in that down-spiral of feeling inadequate or behind in life or in the music industry. I learned that constantly comparing my talents and accomplishments to others is counterproductive because allowing myself to get caught in that sticky web and staying there was going to be my demise. So, I had to re-learn how I view progress and it relates to my own journey and growth. Every single artist is unique; we all have our own hardships, skill sets, and learning styles. Learning that I didn’t need to produce my music in a formulaic way and figuring out how to adapt my own unique skill sets and weaknesses was the ultimate key to unlock my full creative potential. Artists are just a collective of many individuals’ experiences, expressions of perception, and insight of what we have observed existing at the same time. Taking inspiration from those who have refined the skills that I lack instead of allowing it to destroy me was equally the hardest and most important lesson I learned.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @belle_novva
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bellenovva2482
• Other: My music is available on all major streaming platforms, including SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Music.