Janet Noh has become a regular on these pages. While in L.A. for NAMM and then GRAMMY week, I crossed paths with Janet more than once.

There’s a fun story behind this…

While at NAMM, my wife was excited to see a certain artist perform on the Sheraton stage. Being the awesome husband I am, I followed her. She didn’t tell me who we were going to watch, just that she really wanted to see this artist perform.

…then Janet Noh gets on stage. That name struck me immediately as being familiar…but I wasn’t sure why. A quick search for “Janet Noh” on this blog helped me connect the dots. Turns out, I had interviewed Janet multiple times over the years in support of previous releases!!

This is the first time I’ve crossed paths with an artist I’ve featured on these pages…especially while both of us are in a different city, in which neither of us reside. Of course, I had to introduce myself after her (stellar) performance.

In this interview spotlight, I chat with Janet Noh about her NAMM experience, her single – Growing Up With You, what drives her to mix Pop and R&B with classical music, and more.

Full Q&A along with links and music below.

First off, congratulations on the little one you have on the way! Second, your set on the Sheraton stage during NAMM was stellar. How was the rest of your NAMM experience?

Thanks, Joshua! It was lovely to see you and thank you for introducing yourself. 

NAMM was honestly incredible. It felt both validating and energizing at the same time. Performing on the Sheraton stage and speaking at the Women of NAMM Deep Dive were two very different experiences, but both reminded me how powerful this community is.

What stayed with me most was the connection afterward. So many people came up to share their own stories about career pivots, creative risk, and trying to find alignment between ambition and authenticity. Those conversations meant as much to me as being on stage. NAMM really felt like a place where music, industry, and personal journeys intersect in a meaningful way.

How hard was it writing this new single…you know, summarizing twenty years with someone into a much shorter song experience?

“Growing Up With You” was actually one of the most emotional songs I’ve ever written.

When you’ve been with someone for 20 years, the story isn’t just the big milestones, it’s all the quiet moments in between. The challenge wasn’t just condensing time, but capturing the feeling of growing up alongside someone.

At first I tried to include too many memories. Eventually I realized the song didn’t need to tell the entire story; it just needed to capture the essence of it. Once I focused on that idea of gratitude for the journey we’ve shared and how he makes me feel safe and seen, the writing became much more natural.

In many ways the song isn’t just about the past twenty years; it’s about the realization that we’re still growing up together.

I couldn’t make it to your presentation at NAMM, but can you briefly summarize for readers what that was about?

My keynote was called “Harmony Over Hustle: Homecoming to Self.”

I shared some of the pivots in my career – from classical piano to Wall Street to returning to music – and the tension many artists feel between external definitions of success and internal alignment.

For a long time, I chased stability and achievement because they seemed like the “safe” choices. But eventually I realized that fulfillment comes from honoring the parts of yourself that refuse to disappear.

The talk was really about redefining success on your own terms and having the courage to follow the quieter voice inside you, even when it leads somewhere unexpected.

As a long time Hip Hop head, beatmaker/rapper, and more recently a professor in a Conservatory, I truly appreciate and resonate with your blending of pop, urban, and classical elements. What led to this fusion?

I grew up deeply immersed in classical music, that was my foundation as a pianist. But I also grew up loving pop, R&B, hip hop, and musical theater. Those worlds always lived side by side in my listening habits.

For a long time, I felt like I had to choose between them. Classical training tends to live in one lane, and pop music in another. But eventually I realized the most authentic thing I could do was bring them together.

So my music often starts at the piano with a very classical sensibility in terms of harmony, phrasing, dynamics, and then builds into more modern production. That fusion reflects my musical identity much more honestly than trying to fit into a single genre.

What’s coming next for you? More music? More performances? Etc?

A lot of music!!

I’m currently working toward my debut album, which will explore many of the themes I’ve been writing about recently: identity, growth, relationships, and finding home within yourself.

At the same time, I’m also developing another body of work that blends classical piano with more modern production. So there are actually two parallel creative paths unfolding right now. 🙂 

And of course, I’m excited to continue performing and sharing these songs live whenever possible. For me, the connection with an audience is always where the music really comes alive.

Thanks for making time for this. Any last thoughts or news to share before we end it?

I think one of the things I’m most grateful for lately is the reminder that music is really about connection, not perfection.

Whether it’s performing, speaking, or writing songs, the moments that matter most are the ones where someone says, “That made me feel seen.” That’s the real reward.

Thanks again for the thoughtful questions, really appreciate you taking the time to highlight the work.