We’re looking forward to introducing you to Nolen Abel. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Nolen, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
Honestly, for a long time, I hated the idea of being a leader. It felt too heavy, like you’re carrying everyone’s baggage home with you at night. I didn’t want that as a kid, and I couldn’t handle it in college.
Yet, you see people suffering. They come to you, tell you their stories, their pain, and as much as you want to keep to yourself, you listen. You keep your judgments, and you answer as best as you can. When I say something that actually helps, I start to feel that maybe that weight is worth carrying.
I’ve realized, at least for me, that leadership isn’t all about control; it’s about being present, treating people with respect. Reminding them that they can still grow, even if they don’t believe it. If I can do that for someone, even with all the burdens I carry myself, then maybe that’s enough.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Nolen Abel, and I’m a singer/songwriter from Memphis, Tennessee. I create music because it’s the only way I can make sense of myself and all the hardships I have faced in my short time here. I’ve never considered myself a brand or organization. Just a person throwing his emotions into the sound and hoping someone out there can relate.
I just released a song called “Seattle.” This is the lead single for a concept album I’m currently working on, where I revisit one of the toughest years of my life in an attempt to come to peace with the memories that linger there. Creating it has been an amazing yet difficult experience, but I hope to show the world that this is why music matters.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My Dad. People from my hometown thought I was crazy when I told them I wanted to pursue a music career. Some saw it as a waste of my potential. Others believed I would be dead broke in an alley.
My old man, however. He always showed faith in me. He’ll be sitting down, watching the music videos on MTV or VH1, and he’ll call to ask why I’m not on those channels yet. “Your music is a lot better than a lot of that stuff they’re showing,” he says. Then, I’ll tell him, “I’m trying, I’m trying.”
Truth is, I wouldn’t be doing this if it weren’t for him. He gave me my love, my passion for music. I hope I can pay him back tenfold when it’s all said and done.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Actually, I did give up. I stopped releasing music for almost three years. There was a point in time when things back home were hectic, and I was stuck in Orlando, only seeing the problems from afar. Every night, I wished that I were back home.
Couple this with a few health scares, and you begin to realize that you can’t pursue your passions if you are not in a healthy state of mind yourself.
So, I stepped back. Focused on new hobbies and side ambitions. I knew I would come back to music eventually. I was still actively working on it. However, it couldn’t be my everything during that time.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’ve always believed there’s a rhythm to life. Like waves, they come in, they pull back, they never stop moving. The highs and lows work the same way. You don’t get pleasure without sorrow.
For a long time, I fought against it. I wanted to hold on to the good and push away the bad, but life doesn’t work like that. Happiness always shifts, and grief always finds its way in. The only thing you can really do is accept it. Not in a hopeless way, more in a way that reminds you nothing lasts forever.
That’s something I’m committed to holding onto, no matter how long it takes. I want to learn to live with both sides of it.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What will you regret not doing?
What I’d regret most is not giving back to the place that made me who I am. Memphis is complicated. It’s got so much beauty, but it’s also been through a lot. People see the headlines about violence, and it hurts, because that’s not the whole story. I don’t know how we ended up here, but I do know what it felt like growing up. There was community, there was love, and I want that feeling back.
If I ever get to a place where my music takes me further than I imagined, I don’t want the spotlight to just stay on me. I want to share it. I want to open doors for the next artists, poets, and comedians coming out of Memphis. If I don’t do that. If I just take what I’ve been given and keep it for myself. That’s something I’d never forgive myself for.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nolenabel.pixpa.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nolenabelofficial/
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/nolen-56464
Image Credits
Milea Verock
Zion Bunche
