Nolo Grace Miss Perfect Interview

Emerging pop artist, Nolo Grace, has dropped her latest music video for the single, "Miss Perfect." After battling her desire to pursue a career in music for about fifteen years, Nolo Grace takes listeners on a journey of personal development and female empowerment, teaching them always to "embrace who they are," she states. "Miss Perfect'' is an anthem for anyone who has ever felt the desire to break free of convention and pursue something they love for the sake of personal fulfillment. The single is available to stream and download worldwide, and the stunning video is now available on YouTube.

Nolo Grace produced and wrote "Miss Perfect" to let listeners know that 'perfect' is only as powerful as you make it, and you can break free from the mental shackles that bind you to that idea. The stunning video is a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the picturesque Norman Rockwell idea of perfection that appears to be the gold standard of American living. But unlike the beloved quintessential American paintings, "Miss Perfect" highlights women of color and their frustration with being held to a standard that does not exist. With a women-led production team including Sasha Rivero (Director) and Tammy Santos (DP), Grace set out to take this dated and impractical notion and set it on fire. After striving for her own version of perfection for many years, Grace had, what many people would agree to be, a successful and 'perfect' life, dominating as a corporate executive on Wall Street. Yet it was that "pursuit for perfection that ended up being destructive," she states. After earning two degrees from an Ivy League institution and mastering executive positions in the corporate world, Nolo Grace found herself in a place of complete burnout and knew she needed a change. Through emotive lyrics and a fusion of alternative pop beats, she re-establishes her identity, letting go of the one that once held her back. "'Miss Perfect' so perfectly marks the completion of a cycle for me -- of creating the life I have always dreamed of -- by coming to a place of self-love and self-acceptance."

Growing up in New York with strict Korean parents, Nolo Grace found herself in an environment filled with lots of studying and books, and often relied on music as a comfort. "Music allowed me to escape to a different place, a dream space, and I always envisioned myself singing and performing," she recalls. After years fighting against the waves of her musical passion, she gave in to herself and decided to pursue music, calling herself Nolo Grace. "Nolo" means 'no longer,' and it precedes her given name, Grace. "What I mean by that is that I feel that I'm becoming more myself than I've ever been by shedding past expectations and identity," she explains. Once she said goodbye to her former self, she set out to travel the world as a digital nomad and eventually moved to Los Angeles. It was there that she began to craft her signature form of dreamy electronic alt-pop."During this unprecedented time in recent history, I found myself in quarantine developing as a producer/artist and focusing on personal growth."

"Miss Perfect" captures Nolo Grace's metamorphic journey as she builds herself as an artist while inspiring crowds with her raw and touching story. Download or stream "Miss Perfect" now on digital platforms worldwide and watch "Miss Perfect" on YouTube. Keep up with Nolo Grace on Instagram @nolograce.

Interview with Nolo Grace

Question: How would you describe your music?

Nolo Grace: Dreamy, electronic music with hip hop and alternative elements. I love layering ambient textures and my vocals, so my music generally has an ethereal feel. Recently, I've been writing a lot about personal growth and carving out my own path.


Question: What inspired "Miss Perfect?"

Nolo Grace: "Miss Perfect" was inspired by the journey I've been on over the past few years to reinvent my life. I was living in NYC, and I was achieving everything I thought I ever wanted to achieve, but I was miserable. I realize now that it wasn't purely my circumstances at that time but really my dialogue with myself. I was living an extremely stressful life as a corporate executive, sleeping 2-3 hours a night, traveling every week, staying out late partying when I was home, and always pushing myself too hard because I never thought I was good enough. The irony is that the drive for overachievement and perfectionistic tendencies can be a reflection of low self-esteem. I was so fixated on my goals that I wasn't taking care of myself. That lack of self-care became a self-fulfilling prophecy. It was mirrored back at me in everything I was going through at that time. I eventually decided to leave my career and life in NYC behind and rebuild. When I no longer had the credentials and material possessions I had grown so attached to, it forced me to let go of my ego and get to know the real me. "Miss Perfect" is a quirky and funny song, but it's about staying true to yourself and living on your own terms.


Question: Can you tell us about the music video?

Nolo Grace: The video takes place in a pseudo-50s context. It's a commentary on societal norms of perfection, highlighting three women of color and their frustration with being held to a standard that does not exist. At the start of the video, I'm saying goodbye to my husband and cooking in my Hollywood home. As the video progresses, you see me realizing how constrictive and limiting this lifestyle is. I invite two of my friends over, and you see us increasingly letting loose. It was a really fun video to make with a talented and diverse women-led team. Sasha Rivero directed and choreographed, and Tammy Santos was the DP.


Question: Is there a particular message you hope listeners take from your music?

Nolo Grace: I hope people feel empowered to take risks and pursue their dreams. We all have limiting beliefs that prevent us from doing things we want to do. We say different things to ourselves – it's too late, it's too hard, I'm not talented, I don't have time, it's not practical, I don't have enough money, I'm not XYZ enough – and so we stop ourselves. I've gone through a massive shift in my life"and it's still happening! I'm realizing the importance of having an intention, staying open, trusting that it will work out. My old way of operating was fueled by stress and expending a lot of energy trying to make things happen. These are some of the themes in my recent music.


Question: Has moving to LA influenced your music?

Nolo Grace: Yes, definitely. I love the creative energy of this city and the sense of possibility – it is unparalleled. LA has always captured my imagination, and I always knew I would end up here. It's also the place where I started making music and following my creative pursuits"writing, singing, producing. I've connected with many talented artists, musicians, and producers. Musically, I think it's influenced me to have more of a pop sensibility than I might have otherwise.


Question: What motivates you most when writing music?

Nolo Grace: The idea that I'm expressing an experience, a message, an emotion.


Question: Which music/artists are you currently listening to?
Nolo Grace: Well, it ranges quite a bit on any given day. A few artists I've listened to recently are LEON, Willow, Lorde, Japanese Breakfast, NoMBe, Wafia, Kanye, Ethel Cain, Christine and the Queens.


Question: What or who was your inspiration to go into the music industry?

Nolo Grace: Music has always felt like one of my purposes on this planet, but it took me a long time to get to a place where I could pursue it seriously. There's a really amazing book on creativity called "The Artist's Way," by Julia Cameron. She talks about a concept called the "shadow artist," someone with a creative dream who doesn't fully pursue it but stays close to it. I really identify with that concept because I spent a lot of time either staying close to music or making music without sharing it with the world. During the pandemic, I reflected a lot about what I wanted and realized that I would forever be unfulfilled if I didn't take the risk of releasing my music and sharing it with the world.


Question: If you could collaborate with another artist, who would it be?

Nolo Grace: Willow. I love her free spirit, creativity, and musicality. I also would love to collaborate with my husband, Martin Wave / Lars Martin. I admire him a lot, and while we're very much involved in each other's creative process, we haven't actually made anything seriously together.


Question: What is the biggest challenge you have faced along the way to your musical success?

Nolo Grace: The honest answer is myself! Being an artist can come with a lot of internal struggles, and I've limited myself or been too critical. I think this path has really allowed me to see my own issues and helped me establish a better relationship with myself, which is at the heart of all success. If you can feel good about yourself, that will be reflected back at you.


Question: What has been your favourite part of becoming a music artist?

Nolo Grace: I love the feeling of limitlessness in music. There's so much to learn, express, explore. I feel like I'm growing as a writer and producer, and I especially love the production aspect of creating even though I can get frustrated sometimes. I love sitting alone in my studio creating tracks, experimenting with sounds, and singing without the pressure of it needing to be the final version of a song. I also love the fact that music has opened up the opportunity for me to connect with many creatives and lead a more inspired life.

Question: What's a typical day like?

Nolo Grace: I'm usually up at 5am. I meditate, drink coffee, and journal. Sometimes I'll make a beat in Ableton before I start the rest of my day. I'm also a Senior Advisor to a private equity firm, and I'm on the board of a non-profit, so I spend a lot of time in meetings. My husband is also a music producer, and we both work out of our home in Silverlake in LA. We have two studios here, and various artists and producers coming by pretty frequently. My husband and I are pretty low-key, so we spend a lot of time at home together, but we also meet up with friends and try not to work too late.


Question: What's next, for you?

Nolo Grace: My next single will be out soon, and I'm working on an EP/album. I'd love to branch out more into new music projects beyond just my solo project and pursue my entrepreneurial goals as well. I'm passionate about creating community and supporting creatives, and I hope that larger goal will be part of my path as well.


Question: What advice do you have for aspiring artists?

Nolo Grace: I think the first thing I will say is that you are all already artists. As artists, I do believe we are all on the same playing field – we all share the desire to create and express, and it will look different for all of us. We may not fully get the response we're hoping for from the general public, and that is okay. Reflecting on my own experience, I feel that it's important to take your time and feel ready. We all have different timelines, so listen to your intuition instead of rushing it. Above all, make sure you stay connected to your love of music and stay authentic to yourself. It's easy to get overwhelmed and disconnected to the creative process. I found that once I started releasing music, I needed to take a step back and recalibrate, and I'm glad I did instead of forcing myself to set a schedule that didn't feel natural to me.


Question: Can you share your socials? (links please)

Nolo Grace: Instagram 
Facebook 
TikTok 
SounCloud


Interview by Gwen van Montfort