Nora is a musician and activist with a “mesmerizing” folk-soul sound. Following the release of her Remix EP to benefit Planned Parenthood in April 2018, Nora is inventing new ways to use music for social good.
An Interview with Nora Rothman:
Describe your sound.
Acoustic folk soul somewhere between Joni Mitchell and Amy Winehouse.
What artists have inspired and influenced your work?
Sarah Vaughan taught me how to sing, Joni Mitchell taught me how to write, and Amy Winehouse taught me how to be real.
Jazz was instrumental to your development as your artist. How does it continue to influence your progression as a musician?
My melodies all have a little jazz in them. I essentially use scatting to write. My mind is always open to a world of possibilities over a progression of chords.
You’ve made a promise to “raise the female voice”. What does this look like to you?
Hiring more womxn and amplifying my fellow artists. Check out my platform Earhart (@thisisearhart) to see more.
Earhart is a platform for female, trans and gender nonconforming artists. Tell us about it and what experiences led up to this decision.
After the abysmal gender gap at the Grammys, I wanted to create a place dedicated to gender diversity in music, where artists can celebrate each other’s work and curate their own playlists. Earhart is a space for artists to speak for themselves, something that I believe is very important in the industry today.
You’ve openly shared about your mental health struggles. How did music play a part in allowing you to be so publicly honest?
I’m proud of my mental health struggles because they’ve given me the gift of empathy. When it’s in your music, you can’t hide it. And I don’t want to.
What advice would you give to young female-identifying musicians working on establishing themselves?
Collaborate, collaborate, collaborate! Go see shows and support your fellow musicians. And finally, don’t be precious with your songs. Share them with the world, even if they’re not perfect yet.
No Comments