Tu ôl i'r Llenni gyda NOAH BUCHARD
Noah Bouchard is a Welsh hip-hop artist recognised for his lyrically focused tales and vulnerability. As part of our commissioned photo series by Ren Faulkner featuring exciting artists either from, or with an affinity to Cardiff, we caught up with Noah and talked through influences, introspection and an Outkast reunion…
What was the first artist, album or song that made you fall in love with music?
Difficult to pinpoint the exact moment, but I grew up hearing a lot of Bowie, The Cure, The Clash, Joy Division and Paul Weller, I loved Jackson Five as a kid too. I think when I was slightly older I heard Paper Planes by MIA, where I think it really dawned on me how music could carry a strong social message while also being so fun to listen to. Then I came across grime music in my teenage years (Ghetts, Devlin, JME etc.) and everything changed from there.
Are there any unexpected sources of inspiration that influence your work?
Art can inspire me in all forms, particularly when it comes to writing and performance. I’m a huge James Acaster fan and have been thinking a lot about how he uses narrative and raw emotions, as well as political messaging, in his comedy, yet covers it with these surreal, theatrical characters and storylines so that you can watch the characters fall apart in front of your eyes and reveal the true arc of the performance. I think it’s really intricately written and very inspiring, I’m still trying to figure out how to apply those kind of tools into my music.
If you could choose any 3 artists in the world to perform at a future Cardiff Music City Festival, who would you pick?
I need an Outkast reunion, Amaarae and Sade.
Is there a part of Cardiff that feels particularly tied to your music or personal journey as an artist?
I used to go to Howardian community centre when I was a teenager making my first recordings. It doesn’t exist nay more, but it was transformative to have an affordable space at that age to play around with music and learn the recording skills that I still carry with me today.
What is your most fond memory of a gig in Cardiff, either one you have attended or performed, and what made it so special?
I recently played my first headline show in Paradise Garden, it was a beautiful night and I enjoyed it so much! It was also the first time I’d performed my songs with a full band which really made it special, we’re looking forward to doing it more. In terms of gigs I’ve been to, I literally went to see Nick Cave in Cardiff last night! He’s one of my favourite songwriters so it was incredible to see them performed, it was a brilliant show.
Which Welsh artists do you think are doing exciting things right now, and deserve people’s attention?
Luke RV, Harry Jowett and Kiddus are all Welsh artists we should be listening to.
If you could collaborate with any artist or producer, who would you choose?
My answer to this question is constantly changing. Today I think James Blake or Corinne Bailey Rae.
Congratulations on winning the lyricist of the year award at the Youth Music Awards, how did it feel to get that sort of recognition?
Thank you! It was a really cool night, got to meet a lot of inspiring people and to win the award was a special moment. I pride myself on my writing so it’s nice to receive recognition for it.
Your music is very introspective, and honest, what are you hoping that listeners can take away from hearing your music?
I want to be as unguarded as I can be, and I’m hoping by doing that I can relate to my listeners and empower them to do the same. I think the more vulnerable we can allow ourselves to be, and the more we can support and trust in the people around us, the more others can feel comfortable to express their true selves, and the happier we can be as a community.
