A Chat with Noah Villeneuve (10.07.26)
Following the release of his deeply personal debut album, Songs of Noah Villeneuve, we caught up with Noah Villeneuve to discuss the experiences that shaped the record. From heartbreak and sobriety to self-discovery and artistic growth, he reflects on finding his voice, embracing vulnerability, and why authenticity remains at the heart of his songwriting.
OSR: Your debut album feels incredibly personal, documenting heartbreak, sobriety, recovery and self-discovery. At what point did you realise these experiences weren’t just shaping your life, but also becoming the foundation of the record?
Villeneuve: There was no strategy up top before writing this, but I’ve always been a very autobiographical writer. So, naturally, I think there was an inevitability that these themes were going to be at the forefront of whatever I was creating over the last couple of years. I believe in my songs being authentic, and so there was no way I could shy away from all of these experiences.
OSR: There’s a remarkable balance throughout Songs of Noah Villeneuve between vulnerability and restraint. How did you decide what to reveal in your songwriting, and were there moments where you questioned whether certain lyrics were simply too personal to release?
Villeneuve: I think my most personal and specific lyrics in these songs, as hard as they sometimes are to get out onto the page, often end up being the most memorable and my favourite lines across the record. I’ve always resonated more with heavily confessional and vulnerable lyricism. But finding that balance and toeing the line between that and subtlety or leaving certain aspects to the imagination can be a welcome challenge.
OSR: The album moves through a clear emotional arc, from confusion and grief towards acceptance and renewal. Was that narrative intentional from the outset, or did the sequencing reveal a story that only became apparent once all the songs were written?
Villeneuve: It wasn’t until all of the songs were finished that I realised they form into that narrative arc and, on reflection, make complete, cohesive sense in the order they are placed. Just like life, the stages and status of emotional processing weren’t totally linear, so certain songs came to me at different times. But I believe the ideal sequencing was always there, I just had to trust the process, stay patient and unlock it.
OSR: You’ve cited influences ranging from Leonard Cohen and Elliott Smith to The National, Bleachers and The Cure. Which artists have had the greatest impact on your songwriting philosophy, and how do you ensure those influences become inspiration rather than imitation?
Villeneuve: To a certain extent, all artists are a product of their influences, but it can be a fine line making sure those are worn like a badge of honour vs bordering on imitation. I think if those thoughts are getting in the way of your creative process, then you need to dig deeper for originality and your own voice. Equally, it’s not really the artist’s place to have to concern themselves with what others are going to compare them to. Listeners’ interpretation is a beautiful thing, and from that, I’ve heard very complimentary comparisons about my music as well as artists I have never heard of. In terms of the greater impacts on my songwriting philosophy, I think it it ranges wider than just songwriters but to name a few who really helped shape me in this last album cycle, (as mentioned above Cohen, Smith etc.) as well as David Lynch, Stephen Merritt, Patti Smith, Paul Buchanan, Michael Stipe, Lena Dunham, Wim Wenders, Leif Vollebekk, Hayley Williams, Paul Thomas Anderson, Lizzy McAlpine.
OSR: You’ve spent years performing within the UK’s underground music scene before releasing your first solo album. How did that period shape your confidence as both a songwriter and performer, and do you think waiting to release a debut has ultimately strengthened the record?
Villeneuve: There’s a lot of discourse recently about whether songwriters make, quote on quote, ‘better songs’ with more experience or as they continue in their field. I think there is evidence to support and work against that in equal measure. All I have is my experience, and all I know is that I don’t think I was ready until now to make my first album. It took me a really long time to find my own voice and to navigate to a place where I felt completely genuine with my output. If anything, taking a break away from it all and my musical confidence being the lowest it had ever been probably benefited these songs, compared to busier periods of performing, touring and when my ego was in unfounded flight.
OSR: You performed much of the instrumentation yourself while working alongside producer Josh Gallop and a small group of collaborators. What was that creative relationship like, and how did the production process help bring these songs to life in ways you hadn’t initially imagined?
Villeneuve: When I first reached out to Josh about getting in the studio, I’d only had the idea to record maybe 2 or 3 songs with no preconception for what this project was going to be. So there was a certain freedom that came with that and no real objective or finish line, that gave us both the space to experiment and just naturally see what happened. I’d also worked with him on a variety of records dating back to 2018, so there was a comfort that existed to be able to explore what this solo project would be. Likewise, with the small group of collaborators, all very trusted and talented individuals who I knew would bring a magic to these songs that I was searching for. I’ve never been much of a whizz in control of studio production, so it’s really important to me to have someone that understands my ways of working, language and idiosyncrasies at the helm of it all, and Gallop was exactly the right fit for my debut album.
OSR: Sobriety is an important thread running through the album, but it never feels like the sole focus. How has becoming sober changed not only your personal life but also the way you approach creativity, songwriting and your relationship with music itself?
Villeneuve: It’s the single biggest life-changing decision I’ve ever made, so there was no doubt it was going to influence my creative approach, but I was terrified at first that I might not know how or if I still could write. Truth is, it has only inspired it positively. I am so much more in tune with every emotion passing through my brain and body, and how to articulate that more coherently in my writing. I think it’s the most creative I’ve been since I began playing when I was a teenager. There is a newfound artistic freedom that comes with my sobriety that was unexpected, and I am so grateful for.
OSR: Many listeners have already described the album as something they deeply relate to, despite it being rooted in your own experiences. What do you think makes songs about such specific moments become universally resonant, and has audience feedback changed your perspective on the record?
Villeneuve: I am a firm believer in writing with universal specificity. Some of the artists I’ve related to most and I return to are full of work that talks about specific people, times and places, and although none of that applies to me, there is a feeling and emotion within it that feels deeply resonant and relatable. I’m not interested in vague sweeping statements to try and relate to a specific demographic or audience, it will only feel contrived and goes against everything in my nature when writing.
And in regards to audience feedback, it was refreshing to make this behind closed doors, without any project in the public eye or any existing material online, so that was liberating from having to think about what anybody else would make of it. But this point in my career is finally, I can say, for the first time, I’m able to be creative without having to concern myself with what the feedback is going to be. I’ve spent my whole life worrying about what others think of me or what I’m creating, but this feels like a line in the sand and a new beginning, as I don’t have any of those same anxieties around this album. That being said, I do hope people enjoy what they hear!
OSR: The album comfortably moves between intimate indie folk, alternative rock and Americana without ever feeling stylistically fragmented. Do you think in genres when you’re writing, or do you simply follow wherever the song naturally wants to go?
Villeneuve: Nope, I create just how I consume, and that is not divided by genre boundaries. I’ve always made music I wanted to hear, but I listen to such a wide variety of styles that there has never felt a need to pigeonhole my approach.
OSR: Now that Songs of Noah Villeneuve is finally out in the world after such a significant personal journey, what do you hope people take away from it? And looking ahead, has making this album changed the kind of artist you want to become for your next chapter?
Villeneuve: If people find solace, comfort and things to relate to in this album, that means the world to me. I’d love to make music that people return to time and time again, not just something that fades within the space of a year. I’m not sure if I fully grasp what kind of artist I am or am going to be, and I think that’s a good thing, but all I know is that creating this record has inspired me to keep making so much more art; my mind is already deep into thinking about album two.
Many thanks to Noah Villeneuve for speaking with us. Find out more about Noah Villeneuve on his Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Spotify.
