We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Noa Sinclair a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Noa, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
My outlet for performing has kinda just always been around. When I was younger I was always singing in choirs, acting in theater productions or dancing on some stage. It wasn’t until I was 18 that I started getting 1 on 1 vocal training. Being enrolled in various arts programs growing up and attending an arts oriented high school have also been part of my learning process. I started playing guitar about a year ago, with no connections or teacher to learn from in person I began watching tutorials and lessons on YouTube and applied what I learned in my own practice sessions. Knowing more than I did before allows me to add more depth when curating my sound for a gig. Speaking of sound, I think learning how to maximize minimal tech has been one of my strongest assets. For example, the amp that I perform with can be powered via battery pack and made portable if necessary, and has an input for both my guitar and mic to carry sound on its own in a decently sized venue. It’s not that I don’t prefer using a venues in-house system, but having back ups and options is definitely a plus.
If there’s anything I would have done differently it’s changing the way I apply tips and tricks on being self taught sooner as an instrumentalist. I realized a lot of content is made with a sort of one size (should) fit all mentality, but as someone who’s neurodivergent that just isn’t something that works for me. Finding my own flow in terms of practice and properly applying what I grasp from online has been a great small victory. That growth allowed me to switch to my current Jazzmaster guitar and further broaden my playing capabilities with a rhythm circuit. Finding my own flow along with natural curiosity led to me learning how to maximize my tech, which has become one of my best skills I’ve learned to leverage.
Noa, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
As a musician, I kinda always had an outlet for performing growing up. But I think most recently is when things began to really come into fruition for me. After attending an artists intensive program back in mid 2023 I began to seek spaces where I could find both community and possibly perform. I started with a couple open mic events, then by later in the summer I began getting booked for smaller gigs in Miami’s vibrant underground scene. Last year I made it my New Year’s resolution to remain booked and busy, and to build on the success I had the previous year. In that time I learned to make my own merchandise, quadrupled my total number of gigs from the last year and got to co-create an event with other amazing local artists and friends. My songs and covers definitely have emphasis on thought invoking lyrics with melodic chords that move my audience. I like creating an immersive experience for show attendees, I want them to really feel something that they’ll take with them after my set. I’m really inspired by artists like Cavetown, NoSo, Lianne La Havas and of course Billie Eilish because of individual stage presences and their discographies. This year I think is more about focusing on quality over quantity and really leaning into all that I’ve learned so far. I also hope to curate my own events as well, the underground scene of Miami is really where I’m getting my start, and I want to pay that kindness shown to me back to the community that’s given me so much. Whatever I create, I hope it emboldens ppl to be as authentic and naturally themselves as they can be.
As a model, I first did runway for a privet American Eagle Outfitters show. Sometime in between the early morning rehearsals and quick changes backstage I absolutely fell in love with it. It wasn’t until I moved to Miami that I took it a bit seriously as I realized I had a sorta soft passion for it. Since starting I’ve been booked in music videos for Feid and Karol G. I’ve also been booked for commercials, promotional events and walked for an agency during last years Art Basel weekend. I love being part of bringing the vision of another artists to life, it’s made me think of how to better execute my own merchandise for music gigs. After a few modeling workshops I’m much more prepared, confident and capable than when I first started out. I’m looking forwards to larger platformed gigs but, I also hope I can work with more of the local designers in Miami too.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Intersectionality plays such a large role in my artistry. It’s in my songwriting, it’s noticeable when getting booked for modeling gigs. Being the interesting little person that I am with all my labels and talents, I have the unique lived experience of multiple marginalized labels. I lean into that, kinda like a superpower. I mostly write from the perspective of black, queer/trans and neurodivergent experience because those stories are so incredibly sacred and are worth sharing and being celebrated. Not only that but because there are other young people like me who need to hear their stories, while unique, are entirely felt and relatable by others, and not feel entirely isolated by our experiences. So as a musician I want my art to tell these stories, for people to really connect from these shared experiences and feel like they can take up space in mainstream media unapologetically. We all at some point remember the first time we related to someone either on TV or in movies. My music will hopefully be a sorta conduit for bringing that kind of visibility to light.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
I think now more than ever there is a need for a sense of community among artists and their social circles within their cities. I know that I wouldn’t be anywhere near where I am now had it not been for myself and other local artists collaborating and passing along opportunities to one another when we see it. That said, my city has definitely seen a rising influx of out of state talent coming to entertain audiences. It’s not inherently a bad thing, or the fault of the artists, because for them it’s just another gig. But it raises questions among locals as to how much a venue, promoter or organizer may value outsourced talent rather than local. Especially when it keeps happening repeatedly. If you have a venue or any type of performing area, consider opening your space to locals and small artist who are still in that developmental phase of their careers, and may be fighting off an array of disadvantages such as affordability, opportunity and more. And if you are an event organizer, consider hiring local talents for opening acts or as headliners. People are a lot more receptive to performers that they recognize from their own city, especially a place like Miami, it’s a city who’s people still have a lot of heart for their artists making it to bigger stages.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imsinclair.audio/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@imsinclair.audio1
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/noasinclair
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@imsinclair.audio?_t=ZT-8tICzv8xFLK&_r=1
Image Credits
Diego Yelnik, Ali Wisdom, Aubrey Torres