Meet Nonoka

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nonoka. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nonoka below.

Hi Nonoka, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

I didn’t have much confidence at first, and I wasn’t sure how to build it. When people said, “You sound great,” I would usually reply, “No, I’m not, but thank you.” Over time, I learned that confidence and self-esteem don’t come all at once — they grow from effort and practice. When I stopped comparing myself to others and focused on doing my best, I started to feel more comfortable in my own skin.
One of the biggest moments for me was when a favorite artist told me they liked my playing. Later, when I had the chance to perform with them, I realized I didn’t need to play just to make them like me. I just expressed my feelings honestly through music. After that, they said, “I love your playing — just keep being yourself.” That experience showed me that real confidence and self-esteem come from trusting yourself and being true to your own voice. The more I practiced and stayed true to myself, the more both grew naturally, little by little.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’m NONOKA, a musician, composer, and multi-instrumentalist from Osaka, Japan. I specialize in trumpet and Hammond organ, and I love jazz, funk, and hip-hop. For me, the most exciting part of what I do is creating music that is both personal and universal — music that expresses who I am while connecting with listeners on an emotional level. After graduating with honors from The New School in New York, I moved to Los Angeles to continue building my career. In LA, I’ve had the opportunity to perform with The Neighborhood Orchestra and teach music, sharing my passion and knowledge with other aspiring musicians. I’ve also worked extensively as a composer for television dramas and anime. Currently, I’m focused on expanding my creative work both as a performer and a composer. I’m participating in new recording projects and live performances, and I continue to explore ways to connect with audiences around the world through my music. My goal is to keep growing as an artist while inspiring others to trust their own voice and pursue their passions.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

First of all, honesty is a very important quality for me. Being honest with my own emotions and style, accepting criticism while staying true to myself, and approaching music without any pretense. these are the principles I always strive for in my work.
Improvisation is definitely an important skill for musicians. I graduated from The New School with a jazz degree, and we had to practice a lot and improvise in every class. It was challenging at first as a freshman, but now I really love improvisation. Even when I compose songs, improvisation helps me express myself freely.
Genre versatility is also very important. Being able to play and understand different genres, from jazz, orchestra music and funk to hip-hop, allows me to collaborate with others, explore new ideas, and keep my music fresh and exciting.
For anyone early in their journey, my advice would be: stay true to yourself, practice consistently, and try to experience as many different styles and opportunities as possible.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

Yes, I’m definitely open to collaborations!
I’m looking to work with producers and rappers who make beats or enjoy improvisation — anyone who’s open to experimenting and pushing ideas together. I love exploring funk and jazz etc, and I think blending that with rap can create something really exciting.
If you’re interested, the best way to connect is through instagram, and we can start sharing ideas and vibes.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: nonokanagao
• Facebook: Nonoka Nagao