#admitone

ADMIT ONE • NOSO

I met Abby Hwong, professionally known as NoSo, on Facebook. It was 2015, and USC’s newly admitted class of 2019 was scrambling to figure out who was cool. Abby was one of the only members of the pop program I could find online, so I added us plus a couple other stragglers to our own private Facebook group, eagerly awaiting our IRL meeting. That early meeting was sweaty and awkward—we clung to each other at a terribly uncomfortable orientation lunch—but when I heard her sing during a songwriting class, I was stricken. Her voice is warm and low and light, like a campfire, and her lyrics are some of the most surprising, witty, memorable lines I’ve ever heard. She’s also one of the best guitar players I’ve ever heard, full stop. Everything about her is one-of-a-kind, and she is also the funniest person I know. It has been a joy being best friends with Abby, whether we’re sending each other memes or having synchronized existential crises about our careers or planning the inevitable tour of our inevitable duo, Token Minority. I love NoSo, and you should too. Here is her ticket to the Carnival (plus some explanations behind her selections). She is a frequent guest of honor.

1. Running Up That Hill - Kate Bush (Kate Bush was truly ahead of her time with production choices and I can hear her influence on so many newer artists I love)

2. Everywhere - Michelle Branch (I! LOVE! THIS SONG!!!! It makes me feel like a character in an early 2000s movie (I would realistically be the token minority best friend to the protagonist 💓)

3. Eugene - Arlo Parks (The lyrics truly represent the adolescent queer experience. I love how blunt and straight forward the song is; it calls someone out in a gentle way that shows residual hurt and longing.)

4. Little Lies - Fleetwood Mac (this song makes me feel like a sneaky witchy bitch in the best way possible. I love Rumors but Tango in the Night is also one of my favorite albums)

5. Little Red Corvette - Prince (my parents are obsessed with prince and showed me clips of Purple Rain when I was a kid, but I didn’t get it at the time. Then in college while studying his music I fell in love with his discography and understood how brilliant he was)

6. I Was Tired of Being Alone - Patrice Rushen (Patrice is the dean of the program Jensen and I were in at school so her music always brings me immense joy, but also the arrangement on this album is CRAZY. Every instrumental part is so good)

7. Box of Rain - the Grateful Dead (this is my favorite song to walk to. It makes me want to lay in the grass and eat triscuits and fig newtons or something old men like)

8. Conrad - Ben Howard (probably the most beautiful guitar recording I’ve ever heard. he’s one of my favorite artists because his songs usually have unconventional structure and build in a cinematic way)

9. Peekaboo - Red Velvet (yes this is kpop and I LOVE THIS GROUP! I’m so thrilled that a small country like Korea has dominated a part of the music industry. It makes me proud to see people who look like me breaking into mainstream culture)

10. So Into You - Tamia (this is one of my favorite songs ever. I saw kehlani at pride where she performed a cover of it live and I still haven’t recovered)

11. Limp - Fiona Apple (the arrangement and production is SICK. Fiona Apple is one of my favorite vocalists because it’s almost like she’s singing through gritted teeth and you always believe what she’s singing)

12. Heart Like a Wheel - Linda ronstadt (this song is gorgeous, it made me want to learn piano because the melody is so lovely. I’m a sucker for a good ballad)

ADMIT ONE • NELL MESCAL