Bear with me on this musical journey.
Eleven years ago, I created a mix CD for the woman I was dating, Jenn Holland. (Yes, mix CDs were still a thing in 2015.) The compilation featured a song titled “All the Hospitals” by a band called People Eating People, who released only one album back in 2009. I don’t recall where I first heard it—perhaps a former girlfriend, Mia or Melissa, introduced it to me—but the track had been cycling through my playlists since around 2010.
Jenn loved “All the Hospitals” so much that she explored the entire People Eating People discography. She became enamored with their sound and introduced me to their other tracks. As our relationship deepened, Jenn transitioned from a date to a girlfriend and eventually my wife. Over the years, both of us shared an obsession with People Eating People, a band known to very few, with fewer than 2,000 Spotify followers. “All the Hospitals” was our favorite, though I adored “For Now” and “Rain Rain” even more. Like many one‑album acts, we never learned much about them; they seemed to vanish after their brief moment of brilliance.
In 2016, I stumbled upon a single by a singer‑songwriter named Nouela (pronounced “No‑el‑ah,” though I’d always said “Nwaylah” when discussing her music). Her release, “Nobody,” led me to her Spotify page, where nearly every track was exceptional.
For years, both People Eating People and Nouela were staples of my regular playlists—whether private or shared with others. Earlier this year, curiosity drove me to investigate my favorite obscure band. A quick search revealed a surprising discovery: People Eating People and Nouela were the same artist, singer‑songwriter Nouela Johnston. Together, the two acts boasted fewer than 100,000 Spotify followers, yet the algorithm had consistently introduced them to me.
Unfortunately, there was almost no information about Nouela online, and she hadn’t released new music since 2016. When I searched for “For Now” on YouTube, I found a raw bar performance she gave while people talked over her. It made me wish I could go back and experience her music more fully; such talent had reached far too few listeners.
Anyway, I recently celebrated my birthday in the Hudson Valley with family and friends. My wife surprised me twice. First, my friend Rhett Miller of the Old 97’s—an artist I’ve admired for over three decades—delivered a live set that left the crowd enthralled. I’ve collaborated with him and featured him in the Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas Special. Rhett, as ever, delivered a blistering performance.
The second surprise was even more profound. After extensive research, Jenn tracked down Nouela Johnston in Seattle and arranged for her and her percussionist, Joe Mengis, to fly in for a reunion show. Nouela hadn’t performed these songs in more than a decade, having devoted most of her life to a corporate career. (I can relate—my own day job is in corporate America.)
The evening was nothing short of miraculous, one of the most memorable nights of my life. Nouela’s music was vibrant and soul‑stirring; she played each song with the intensity of a fresh discovery and the mastery of someone who had lived with them for years. When she launched into “For Now,” our favorite track, Jenn and I began to weep openly. The audience sat in reverent silence, and by the song’s end, everyone around us was weeping, followed by a spontaneous standing ovation—the third one of the night.
I believe that the true measure of art lies not in its audience size, but in how deeply it touches individual souls. By that standard, Nouela stands among the most successful singer‑songwriters of all time.
