Noah Bates, hailing from Meanjin/Brisbane, wears multiple hats as both an artist and producer, weaving together indie-pop melodies with a rock-infused flair, exemplified in his latest release, 'Gotta Go'.
Drawing inspiration from the vibrant sounds of 80s indie pop while also embracing contemporary influences reminiscent of acts such as The 1975 and Harry Styles, 'Gotta Go' showcases Bates' ability to blend nostalgia with a fresh, modern twist.
In August 2023, Noah burst onto the music scene, independently releasing his debut single 'Coffee In Japan'. Premiering with Milky, the track quickly gained traction, racking up an impressive 55,000 plays on Spotify. His first music video gained 6,000 views, and gained international traction, being played in both the UK and US radio.
Noah finds his inspiration in the music of rock and pop icons such as Tears for Fears, Harry Styles, The 1975, and Spacey Jane, using these influences to drive his own self-produced music forward.
Your latest release, 'Gotta Go', seamlessly blends elements of indie-pop with a rock-infused flair. Can you tell us more about the creative process behind this track?
"This track started as a demo made in a music camp back in 2021, it had a very different sound back then but all the instrumentation was the same, so when I came back to it a lot of it was already there. I took it in a more indie-pop/rock direction as I'm starting to figure out the sound I'm going for and that sound was also present in 'Coffee in Japan' as well so I had an idea of which way to take it sonically."
What initially inspired you to pursue a career in music, and how did your journey begin?
"I always loved music and found myself being interested in how it would be put together and all the different parts that made up my favourite songs. I initially started playing drums in grade four and from there I would do more, I started messing around with looping apps and GarageBand just making nonsense but because I had access to those things it sparked my interest even more because I could see how much could go into a song."
What artists inspire you to make music?
"Prince is probably one of my biggest inspirations as well as Lenny Kravitz, I loved the fact that they would play everything on their records and have such a big say creatively in their art. I'm also heavily inspired by 80s pop and modern pop artists like INXS, The 1975, COIN, Harry Styles and also R&B artists like Miguel and D’angelo."
You moved to Australia with your family at the pivotal age of 16. How has the Australian music scene influenced your artistic growth and identity as a musician?
"The scene here is very supportive and friendly which has really helped me grow my skills in all aspects of my music and helped me find the direction I want to start going towards. Unfortunately, when I first got here Covid had just hit so I missed out on a lot so I want to make up for it and do as much as possible now."
Your music is a fusion of 80s indie pop and modern indie rock. What drew you to these particular genres, and how do you keep your sound fresh and innovative within them?
"I’m not sure what initially drew me in but I stayed because I love the sound and it is so fun to write and produce songs in those genres, I think keeping fresh and innovative comes from incorporating different styles and instrumentations from other genres as well."
How do you see your music evolving in the future, both in terms of style and thematic content?
"I’m hoping to explore some more genres and also try a few different writing styles to try and evolve my sound and incorporate some new ideas into my songs."
You've recently formed a band around you - when can we expect Noah Bates live shows, and what can we expect from them?
"I’m hoping to have the band on stage for the second half of the year for regular shows that have an exciting and fun vibe."
What do you have planned for the rest of 2024? Can we expect another release soon?
"There are a couple more releases planned for the rest of this year as well as some other surprises too."
Connect With Noah Bates
Instagram | Spotify | YouTube | Triple J Unearthed | Apple Music | TikTok | Bandcamp | Facebook | Soundcloud
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