NOA – Saint Paul [Single + Video]

NOA‘s “Saint Paul” is an audacious statement that stands out in the alt-pop genre, produced by the deft hands of MQN. The Filipino-African-American artist who currently calls Berlin home has stamped her mark with a track that is a complex layering of sounds, marrying gritty guitar riffs and thundering drums to create an atmosphere as brooding as it is defiant. 

The song opens with NOA‘s voice, an intimate whisper set against the stalking tension of a heavy, pulsing bassline. It’s like her words are a low murmur, chill but with some heat behind it. The verses burn slow, with sexy intimidation, while the bridges and choruses ease back into a breathy, melodic flow that uncloaks her lower soprano range. There’s a simmering and seductive confidence here; a steady pitch echoing the legacy of defiance and survival that black women have shown throughout history.

In the video that Tom Chansiraphet put together, it’s a visual mix-up, pitting the swank of old-world European style against the street scenes of today. It’s a toast to the song’s message of liberation, celebrating the resilience and beauty of black women, with NOA and her court adorned in royal garb, defiantly taking center stage.

“Saint Paul” thrives on its contrasts — the softness of NOA‘s voice against the industrial-alt-pop backbone of the music, the historic and the contemporary in its visual storytelling. MQN‘s production plats a darkly textured soundscape that mirrors NOA‘s lyrical journey between the soft shadows of confidential whispers and the glaring lights of outspoken declarations.

In a music scene that can often feel saturated with sameness, NOA provides a track that’s as refreshing as it is moody and tense. “Saint Paul” puts NOA on the map in a big way; she’s not just another voice in the crowd of alt-pop. She’s got a style that grabs you because it’s real and new. The track’s got layers that make you sit up and listen, throwing a curveball to the usual tunes we get from the industry.

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