We caught up with Nosila, the South-Australian multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter who released his debut single ‘Halfway’ on 13 September 2024. The enthralling single premiered on notable Australian tastemaker scenestr.  Nosila is the solo moniker of musician Simon Hatch who created this project in memory of his sister Alison. Through his music, Nosila addresses the often unseen struggles of those with mental health issues. In the interview, we chat to Nosila about the challenges he’s experienced in the industry, his musical background as well as what to expect in future.

Stream ‘Halfway’ while reading the interview with Nosila below:

How has your musical background helped shape your sound?

I started my musical journey playing classical guitar at the age of seven but quickly discovered Slash and Guns ‘N’ Roses and quickly went down the rabbit hole of developing my skills as an electric guitar player. I eventually came back around full circle to classical guitar when I started delving deeper into songwriting which is why I like to incorporate both classical and electric guitar in my music. I like the variety of sound and emotions each style can provide. 

The songwriters that I’ve been inspired by have shaped my sound, those being, The Beatles, John Mayer, Jeff Buckley and Blink 182. Although my sound may not be initially identifiably inspired by these artists I have very much studied and focused on the way they compose and structure their sound. 

What are or were some of the challenges for you in producing or performing while keeping true to your vision of your music?

It’s always been hard as your sound constantly changes as you progress through life and sometimes you can feel that you’re creating a sound / style that’s not consistent. Combined with the fact that you can’t help but wonder if your style is keeping up with popular culture or what’s in vogue it can be hard. Luckily, I’ve always been told that I have a very distinct sound and style so I feel I’ve naturally stayed true to my vision of my music because I couldn’t depart from it even if I consciously tried.

Is there any “non-musical” ingredient that is essential to crafting your sound?

Life experiences and the relationships I have made along the way have been pivotal to my music, my music wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for these elements. We all have little bits of wisdom and unique perceptions to share as a result the different life paths we all take. I believe capturing this is what makes music beautiful and something that resonates so strongly to all people across borders and languages as an art form. In my personal opinion, it’s the greatest unifier when it comes to art.

As a musician, it becomes apparent that there is a huge difference between the art and the business. Is there anything about the music scene that you would personally change?

I think a lot of the changes I would personally make have been achieved through the use of social media, the ability for independent artists to find their audience without being dependent on large labels. It can be frustrating now as an independent artist when you find yourself spending as much time on learning marketing as you do making music but that’s a reality you have to accept as an independent artist. The pros of the freedoms given to independent artists now given to due to social media outway the cons.

Who are three musicians you think the world needs to hear right now?

Established / past musicians people need to hear right now:

Jose Gonzalez and Junip 

John Mayer – Continuum Album

Jeff Buckley – Grace Album 

Breakdown the news for us: what can we expect from you in the near future?

In the near future I will release my music video for my single ‘Halfway’, I’m really happy with how that turned out. Additionally, I will be releasing new singles as soon as I can. I have a lot of music waiting in the wings that are in the process of being recorded.

Follow Nosila:

Facebook – Soundcloud – TikTok – Youtube – Instagram – Spotify