Noa Milan
About
tattoos, Bitter Coffee & good behaviour
In A
Brief nutshell with J. J Brits
THE KNOCK AT the door comes
early.
Noa Milan wears a geniune smile, her lips a
bright scarlett. She’s barefoot, blue eyed and comfortable in jeans and a black
T-shirt. Best part is that she brought her guitar.
I serve the first round of coffee. We sit
down, light up cigarettes and get comfortable on a couch at Small Room Studio Productions.
Talking comes naturally.
I ask about her childhood, and when she fell
in love with music.
“I’ve stayed in Melkbos my whole life,” Noa
says. “I moved out of my parents house and into a very cosy flat in Van
Riebeeck Strand about two years ago. It’s not huge, but I love my own space. As
to when I fell in love with music, I’m not sure. I think I just always did.”
She
wrote her first song at seventeen. It’s an Afrikaans song titled Railway Track. Her first English song California followed shortly after.
California
‘Pack your bags and let’s leave for California. Yes, I’m
living in a world of dreams. And if you could dream with me that would be
amazing. It might get you closer to the real me. Would you want to get closer to
the real me?’
Not Just Music
In her scholar
years she took part in plays and drama’s. In grade 8 she starred in a play Déjà vu Derby, written by Hennie van Greunen and directed by Jan
Burger. In that same year also starred in Help,
written by Lukas Heinen and also directed by Jan Burger. In grade 10 she played
in another Lukas Heinen and Jan Burger production, Ouch.
“Acting is a
great passion of mine,” Noa explains. “Since discovering what it really was
during high school, theatre has become my second home. I simply love it. It
doesn’t matter whether I am buying a ticket or standing on stage looking onto
an audience. I live myself into the moment every time, then loose myself
completely.”
At the age of
sixteen she entered ATKV Crescendo and reached the semi finals.
“Crescendo was
nerve wrecking but a great experience!” Noa says. “When your young you enter
competitions hoping to win. Soon you realise you’re actually taking part to
gain experience and to get your name out there.”
Musical Theatre
Noa studied musical theatre at the Waterfront Theatre
College. She received her drama degree at the Cape Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Some of her fondest lecturers included the incredible Anthea Thompson and Penny
Marek.
AMERICA
Her life changes at the age of twenty five when Noa
decided it’s time to broaden the horizons. She got on a plane to Texas, Athens
in the United States of America. Not even a year later she went for round two, again
playing live gigs with some of the greatest musicians she’s ever met. She saw
live blues shows, met insanely talented people playing guitar on street
corners. She chilled at the Railway Café, and met a beautiful guy with a
crimson truck who wrote her a song titled, Songs
That Men Sang.
Songs that men
Sang
Teaching
In 2011 she started teaching drama at Van Riebeeck
Strand primary school in her hometown, Melkbosstrand.
“I feel that it
is very important to share you passion of the arts with the younger
generation,” Noa explains. “One day they will be the ones on stage and we will
be buying the tickets to see them shine. To play a part in their education makes
me a very happy human being. And let me tell you, there’s a lot of talent to go
around!”
ARTSCAPE
Noa has been part of two successful Artscape
productions. In 2011 she formed part of the ensemble of Fiddler On The Roof, and in 2014 she played Velvet in Rockville 2069.
“I’ve really been blessed with the roles I’ve been casted in,” Noa says.
“I’ve worked alongside amazing people and there was always something that I
could learn from them.”
She met a
close friend and her soon-to-be manager during the Rockville
experience. Jeanne-Mare Raubenheimer was the main make-up artist for the show
at that time. They got along like fire and brimstone. Jeanne-Mare decided to
become full time manager after discovering Noa’ unique voice. The fact that
original songs were involved closed the deal for good.
New Music
Noa recently made a music video of her song, Run. She recorded a brand new original
at Small Room Studio Productions titled; Tattoo.
She worked closely with producer Jandre Spangenberg on the track.
“Geez, you
have no idea how good Jandre is. Natural, that’s all I can say. He listened to
a demo version of Tattoo and
transformed it into a gemstone. And it wasn’t an easy task. But he just knew
from the start what it needed.”
GRIMEHOUSE
Earlier last month she collaborated with Grimehouse, working on a brand new
track, The Ark.
“I was thrown
in the deep, but welcomed the opportunity to collaborate with a well know DJ.
It was a fun project. I’m really excited. The track will be released soon.”
The EP
Now there is talk of an EP!
“It’s always
been a dream of mine to make an album. However, nowadays albums aren’t selling
the way they use to back in the day. Therefore we decided on an EP. I am very
excited to get started. I’ve written many songs throughout the years and there
are a certain few which I’ve always wanted to take to the studio.”
One of the
songs that will definitely be on the EP is From
My Heart To Yours.
from my heart
to yours
‘Take me to the moon, I’ll sing you
the perfect tune, Sing it from my heart, to yours. Willing for the stars,
though we won’t get very far, I’ll sing it from my heart, to yours’
After Too Many Cups Of Coffee
When we
conclude the interview, I ask Noa to pick up her guitar. She smiles, in an ever
so shy way, and simply starts playing. Halfway through the song, she stops.
“It’s a new
song,” she says. “I’m not sure how it ends yet. Cause the song decides, you know.
I’m just playing.”
What’s Coming
Other than reading Lina
Dunham’ crazy comical autobiography Not
That Kind Of Girl, Noa Milan is preparing for a paradigm shift in her
creative world. Watch this space.
For The Fans
Get to know Noa’ music, her great sense of style and
more. Follow Noa Milan on Facebook and Soundcloud:
https://www.facebook.com/noamilanmusic
https://soundcloud.com/noa-milan
She’s the artist. All the world will see her smile.
After a while. when she is known. She’ll be making music, and it will
play on the radio.
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