HERETIC, the debut single from Australian actor and singer Adam Noviello, is here!Celebrating gender queerness, and all gender nonconforming humans, Heretic is the new pop/dance anthem igniting hearts, minds and dance floors.
Having been released by Global League Records in January 2022, Heretic quickly climbed to #1 on the Australian iTunes Dance chart, #2 on the Australian Top Songs chart and #5 on the Australian Independent Record Labels Association chart. Hereticis available now on all major streaming platforms with an accompanying music video featuring a cast entirely made up of non-binary/gender fluid/transgender/gender nonconforming humans.
“What starts slow and almost contemplative moves to this electro pop explosion of energy and it becomes clear that Noviello will not go quietly, they demand to be heard. This song is incredible.” – Jade Guida , Rawing In The Pit.The lead singer of former Melbourne indie-pop band NOVELLO, and more recently as the featured artist on the Chantboys track ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’, Heretic serves as Adam’s debut single as a solo artist.
Best known for their work on Australian stages, having starred in national and international production tours including Matilda The Musical, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert & Chess The Musical (to name a few), Adam is making their explosive return to the music scene.Hereticrepresents Adam’s celebration of their gender queerness.
Lyrically the song speaks of Adam’s former feelings of betraying the gender they were assigned. Not fitting to the mould of what a “boy” is expected to be. To combat these feelings, and the societal voices contributing to them, Hereticsays, “I’m here. I’m fierce. I am
Tell us about the genesis of your project, ‘Heretic’
If I’m honest, it’s actually been a beautifully simple process. Once I’d established what I’d wanted to say, and the story I wanted to tell, writing the song took no time at all. Then, the moment we were allowed to travel I was on a plane to Sydney to finally get in the studio with my producer, Oscar Sharah. We’d been in touch for the longest time trying to make this project work, and it was so wonderful to get in the studio and make music. We recorded my entire EP (stay tuned!), HERETIC included, and we knew were on to something pretty special. A banger of a dance track, but also a lyric I knew would reach my siblings out there on the gender spectrum. Sheer determination, amazing collaborators, and a desire to reach people, is what made this song possible.
What should a song or piece of art be all about in your opinion?
I truly believe our job as artists is to reflect human experience and to provide escapism. We all have that song, that album, that artist, that immediately comforts us. That makes us feel safe. That makes us feel fierce. That makes us feel. Art is there to help us access ourselves, our feelings and our joy.
Who were your top 3 artists last year?
Lana Del Rey, James Blake & Lady Gaga.
What do you do when you’re feeling uninspired?
I listen to music!! I try my hardest to identify where I’m at and what my soul needs, and I can always find something I need musically. It’s the ultimate therapy for the uninspired artist.
What are your 2022 projects and goals?
Music, music, and more music. I’ve got a second single in the wings ready to go, and I’m stoked to be releasing my debut EP later in the year! I’m also thrilled to be appearing in The Who’s ‘Tommy’ with Victorian Opera this year, as well as Brittany Shipway’s new play ‘Sensor’. It’s an exciting time!
Favorite movie or TV show?
Oooooo, such a hard one! I adore Lee Daniel’s film ‘The Paperboy’, and I was OBSESSED with ‘Alias’ growing up. Jennifer Garner is an icon. Period.
Tell us about your latest release and how it came about.
Writing music has been a creative therapy for me for most of my adult life, but it hasn’t been a core focus of my career until recently. I was doing a musical when Covid arrived in Australia. That show was quickly cut short, and then the musical I was due to start rehearsing soon after was canceled. I found myself at home, in lockdown, unsure of what my theater career looked like. It felt like a calling of sorts for me to finally get a collection of my songs properly recorded and out in to the world. Fast forward to 2022 and my first single is out!
What is something you would want to change in the music and entertainment industry?
Inclusivity. I want the entertainment industry to be one where all humans, no matter what race, gender, size, sexuality or disability, are given the same opportunities to thrive. We all have stories to tell, and we all come from such different places and perspectives. Let’s hear ALL the voices and ALL the stories. Please.
Can you outline your creative process?
To be honest, I don’t really have one! I just try my best to listen to my instincts and to not block my impulses. If I’m suddenly hit with a lyric, I write it down. If a melody inspires me, I quickly voice memo it. My only rule, as far as process is concerned, is not to judge what I’m creating until it’s finished. Just go with it. If it’s coming from my authentic spirit, then just follow it and worry about the quality, or what people may think of it, later.
Who inspires your style and aesthetics?
I am very inspired by androgynous fashion and icons. I am unsure when we decided the way a fabric was cut determined a garment’s gender, but that style construct does not exist in my world. If it feels beautiful to me, I’ll lean in to it. My ultimate androgynous icon is Bowie. He had zero rules for what he wore on stage
and off. A true inspiration. I am also rather obsessed with Deni Todorovic and Alok V Menon on Instagram!
What is the achievement or moment in your career you are the most proud of and why?
Honesty, it has to be my recent debut single, HERETIC. This song, and what it says means so much to me. And to have it be so beautifully received and to have achieved what it has so far is beyond my wildest dreams. If you’d told young me that some day I’d release a genderqueer pop anthem, that it would go #1 on the iTunes Dance Chart, #2 on the iTunes Top Songs Chart, that the music video would achieve over 30,000 views in it’s first fortnight on Youtube, and that it would resonate and connect with so many people, I would have cried. Oh dear, I’m crying right now…
What do you think an artist should sing about nowadays?
Whatever the hell they want to! That’s the beauty of being a musician. Tell your stories. Sing from your heart. Sing from your soul. It will always be right.
Do you have any regrets?
Sadly, yes… I didn’t see Liza Minnelli in concert when she came to Australia last. Thinking about that really hurts.
What is some piece of advice you would give to yourself right now?
Drink it in, honey!! I sometimes get so focussed on what’s next and the work I need to do to push forward. Sometimes it is correct to just sit and bask in the now. I need to get better this. Particularly now when life is so damn cool !
