A beacon of vulnerability, introspective songwriting, and lush, genre-blurring sound, indie pop artist NoSo is stepping into their own on the road to their bold and unflinching sophomore album, ‘When Are You Leaving?’ Here, singer/songwriter and producer Baek Hwong dives into the heart and heat of their latest singles “Sugar” and “Don’t Hurt Me, I’m Trying,” opening up about empowerment, evolution, and speaking your truth through music.
Stream: “Sugar” – NoSo
I’ve always been a more introverted and quiet person who avoids conflict, but I think these experiences across the album allowed me to truly learn how to stand up for myself.
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There’s something about NoSo’s song “Sugar” that grabs you – by the ears, by the heart, by the hands – and doesn’t let go.
Every time we press play, we stay until the very last note – pulled in by a glistening guitar line that sparkles like sunlight on morning pavement, lifted higher by the pulse of tight drums and NoSo’s radiant, soaring voice. It’s the kind of song that has a heartbeat of its own – achingly intimate and irresistibly sweet, with a subtle sting that lingers long after the last chorus fades.
In a box of power
A mouse is too loud
Move like a hiker,
Indebted to you now
Two years after their debut LP Stay Proud of Me introduced us to singer/songwriter Baek Hwong’s richly cinematic world of self-reckoning and coming-of-age vulnerability, NoSo returns with something bigger, bolder, and beautifully assured. Released in mid-May, “Sugar” sets the tone for the LA-based artist’s highly anticipated sophomore album When Are You Leaving?, out October 10th via Partisan Records, and marks a powerful step forward – not just musically, but emotionally.
“My first album mostly comprised of daydreaming about what my life could be like if I embraced my identity,” Hwong says. Indeed, Stay Proud of Me was an album of internal reckoning, reconciliation, and intense self-reflection. Its track “Parasites,” for example, was initially composed prior to Hwong’s top surgery in 2020, and ultimately completed after they had healed – written with their past and present bodies in mind. “Feeling Like a Woman Lately” toed an oh-so-thin line “between empowerment and dysphoria,” as they candidly expressed at the time.
Reflecting on their debut three years later, Hwong shares, “Stay Proud of Me is the first body of work I’ve ever made that I know I will always be proud of (pun-intended). I know how much I had to learn in order to make that record, so it will forever be special to me.” That sense of self-compassion carries into everything they’ve created since.
In contrast to their first record, there’s a self-assuredness permeating NoSo’s present music as well as their emotional headspace.
“This record is firmly rooted in reality and details my enlightening and tumultuous experiences head on,” they share.
That grounding is everywhere in “Sugar.” Beneath its dreamy disco groove and gleaming pop exterior lies a raw reflection on compassion, boundaries, and the quiet toll of holding space for someone who’s hurting. “‘Sugar’ is about the delicate dance of interacting with volatile, unwell individuals,” Hwong explains. “It’s a reflection on those experiences, aiming to approach them with sympathy instead of anger. I’ve learned that this is the only way I can move forward – by not feeding those memories and giving them power.”
“This song is about a very bizarre part of my life that took me a long time to unpack,” they continue. “Prior to it, I tried writing songs about the situation but they were so volatile and I didn’t like the idea of humiliating someone lyrically… Instead, this song is jubilant and fun juxtaposed by darker lyrics. I needed to make something that felt light like this so I can perform it in a positive way, instead of re-living that anger and those memories every time I perform.”
Only in silence
And I fell for your
Waning sugar kindness
And I fell for your
But you needed to be touched
And I could tell your
Sickness had enough
That maturity echoes in the song’s glistening chorus, home to some of its most haunting lines – “Only in silence, and I fell for your waning sugar kindness… but you needed to be touched, and I could tell your sickness had enough.” There’s warmth and wear in that refrain, but also conviction and clarity; a reclaiming of power through gentleness, rather than retaliation.
“I wrote ‘Sugar’ at a very specific period of my life,” Hwong adds. “Mostly out of frustration from having such an erratic lifestyle as someone who thrives in grounded and stable environments. I wrote it essentially in response to my circumstances – it was cathartic for me to make.”
If Stay Proud of Me was NoSo letting us into their dreams, When Are You Leaving? invites us into their reality – a new chapter of unfiltered self-expression, self-possession, and emotional depth, where vulnerability meets resolve with refreshing vigor and sonic firepower.
“Sugar” glows with unflinching empathy and unshakable strength, the sound of an artist fully in their element, pushing forward without compromise. It’s stunning growth in motion – and if this is any indication, what’s coming next will be even more luminous.
That growth is further embodied in the album’s second single, “Don’t Hurt Me, I’m Trying” – a sonic and emotional fever dream that’s as urgent as it is aching. “I wrote this song ultimately about my frustration by the collective lack of care we have for each other,” NoSo explains. “I wrote the guitar instrumental a few years back but thought I should give it to a rock artist, but then I realized I don’t have to put myself in a soft category. It was fun to explore new sonic territory and push myself to make something different.”
“These two songs reflect the overlying theme of moving forward despite the circumstances, and trying to remain strong throughout,” they say of both singles. “I’ve always been a more introverted and quiet person who avoids conflict, but I think these experiences across the album allowed me to truly learn how to stand up for myself.”
This song may be layered with nuance, but in the end, it’s as sweet as it is seductive. I’ve been trying to cut back on sugar in my 30s, but NoSo’s making it really difficult. Consider me hooked.
Hold the land above me,
carrot on a string
Call me the problem
But you needed me
Only in silence
And I fell for your
Waning sugar kindness
And I fell for your
But you needed to be touched
And I could tell your
Sickness had enough
NoSo’s sophomore album When Are You Leaving? is out October 10th via Partisan Records.
From the gentle confrontation of “Sugar” to the fiery catharsis of “Don’t Hurt Me, I’m Trying” and beyond, this record charts a journey of self-empowerment, evolution, and truth. Below, Baek Hwong reflects on their artistic growth, musical intentions, and what it means to speak up for yourself when the world would rather you stay quiet.
A beacon of vulnerability and lush, genre-blurring sound, NoSo is stepping into their own and carving out their space in the music world with radiant confidence, emotional clarity, and a bold, unflinching voice that turns personal truth into pop gold. Read on for Atwood Magazine’s exclusive interview with NoSo, and listen to their latest singles wherever you stream music!
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:: stream/purchase Sugar here ::
:: connect with NoSo here ::
:: pre-order When Are You Leaving? here ::
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Stream: “Sugar” – NoSo
A CONVERSATION WITH NOSO
Atwood Magazine: NoSo, hello and thank you for your time – it’s been a minute! While Atwood has been covering you for years now, I recognize that some folks may be just hearing about you. So for those who are just discovering you today through this writeup, what do you want them to know about you and your music?
NoSo: Hello! To anyone unfamiliar with my work, I write about navigating my evolving identity and relationships through various environments (such as predominately white towns while growing up), with an overarching theme of longing to be truly understood.
How does the name NoSo – a shorthand for North/South – continue to represent who you, Baek Hwong, are today?
NoSo: I think NoSo will perpetually represent who I am – the genesis came from my frustration at the question “North or South?” anytime I mentioned I was Korean, and it feels like reclaiming that part of my life. I’m a cheeky person (and writer), so that stage name embodies my personality and the way I approach lyrics – observing others and myself, questioning why I behave in a certain way, etc.
Hard to believe it, but Stay Proud of Me is exactly three years old today! How has your debut album grown with you over the years, and what is your relationship with its songs like today?
NoSo: Stay Proud of Me is the first body of work I’ve ever made that I know I will always be proud of (pun-intended). In the past I would be hard on myself upon releasing anything, but this album taught me how to let go and allow a project to publicly mark my progress. I look different on the cover, my voice sounds so young on a few of the songs, and I’ve changed tremendously since then. I know how much I had to learn in order to make that record, so it will forever be special to me.
“Sugar” is, without a doubt, a massive musical return. Why break the ice with this song – what makes it special and lead single worthy, for you?
NoSo: I wrote “Sugar” at a very specific period of my life, mostly out of frustration from having such an erratic lifestyle as someone who thrives in grounded and stable environments. I wrote it essentially in response to my circumstances – it was cathartic for me to make.
You've previously shared how this song is about “power dynamics and the delicate dance of interacting with volatile, unwell individuals.” I was wondering if you could expand on that – how does “Sugar” relate to you, personally?
NoSo: This song is about a very bizarre part of my life that took me a long time to unpack. Prior to it, I tried writing songs about the situation but they were so volatile and I didn’t like the idea of humiliating someone lyrically (especially since they were going through their own issues, seemingly). Instead, this song is jubilant and fun juxtaposed by darker lyrics. I needed to make something that felt light like this so I can perform it in a positive way, instead of re-living that anger and those memories every time I perform.
To me – and I think to you as well – this song is also about learning to move forward and past those toxic individuals who would rather keep you in their web. You’ve talked about “not feeding those memories and giving them power”… what did moving on look like for you, and how does it manifest on this song? (Sorry if this is a super heady question!)
NoSo: I think for me it was spending time with people who I love and love me (my family and friends), people I feel safe with. Things felt tremendously lighter for me after that chapter of my life ended; I needed that time to feel like myself again before I could write about it from a less destructive perspective.
Musically, “Sugar” is a lush, sweetly seductive reckoning. How did you go about recording it, and what were your aims for it from a sonic perspective? Do you feel like you achieved your goals?
NoSo: I wrote the song in my room originally and later took the song to Jack Tatum of Wild Nothing in Virginia to co-produce it. I feel really grateful he got to be part of the song – I’ve been a fan for a long time. We referenced the ’80s quite a bit (my favorite decade for music, his as well). It definitely achieved my goals – it feels anthemic and fun.
You recently followed “Sugar” up with “Don’t Hurt Me, I’m Trying,” a sonic and emotional fever dream that’s as urgent as it is aching. What’s the story behind this song?
NoSo: I wrote this song ultimately about my frustration by the collective lack of care we have for each other. I wrote the guitar instrumental a few years back but thought I should give it to a rock artist, but then I realized I don’t have to put myself in a soft category. It was fun to explore new sonic territory and push myself to make something different.
As I understand it, this song was written in the aftermath of a mental health spiral, and it speaks to both your own situation and your observation around how we treat one another. Do you mind sharing more about that, and how this song speaks to those (very valid) frustrations?
NoSo: I lost my mind mentally a few years ago when it felt like I was stagnant and somehow regressing at the same time. I’m immunocompromised, so I’ve felt a sense of grief because I haven’t been comfortable in public spaces for the last five years. I think making this kind of distorted and urgent-sounding song was also cathartic, in a different way than “Sugar” was.
How do these two tracks fit into the overall narrative of your upcoming sophomore album, When Are You Leaving?
NoSo: I think these two songs reflect the overlying theme of moving forward despite the circumstances, and trying to remain strong throughout. I’ve always been a more introverted and quiet person who avoids conflict, but I think these experiences across the album allowed me to truly learn how to stand up for myself.
We’re still a ways off from When Are You Leaving?’s release in October, but how would you say this new album compares to your debut? How do you feel you’ve grown over the past three years, and what most excites you about this new record?
NoSo: I feel I’ve changed tremendously musically and as a person. I started writing When Are You Leaving? right after my first album, but I still had long hair and didn’t know who I was. As I changed identity-wise, the music reflected that as well. I’m very excited for people to see how I’ve grown since the last record – I was learning to produce during the process of my first record, and I felt much more confident on this one.
What do you hope listeners take away from “Sugar” and “Don’t Hurt Me, I’m Trying,” and what have you taken away from creating them and now putting them out?
NoSo: I hope listeners take away a sense of joy and empowerment from these songs, and all of the songs on the record! I know I did when I was making it. I’ve already seen stories of people sharing how they relate to the songs, and it makes me feel seen too. And I hope people dance to the songs 🙂 Even the slower ones!
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:: stream/purchase Sugar here ::
:: connect with NoSo here ::
:: pre-order When Are You Leaving? here ::
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“Don’t Hurt Me, I’m Trying” – NoSo
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