Novulent at the Cobra Lounge, Chicago

Novulent is a name I came across while doom scrolling social media. I’ve heard their melodies and lyrical innovation before, but it wasn’t until stumbling across “2002” where I started to dive into a deeper hole of who Novulent is.

It then steadily graduated into listening to “Soul Ties” “Enchanting” “Eternal Life” and then “molly and sex”...what can I say? I’m a sucker for a captivating song title that may or may not have referenced my early 20s thought process and perception of premier love encounters.

Novulent is a 19 year-old musician whose genre can be best described as alternative rock that can be reminiscent of early 2000s Deftones and that’s exactly the trek that this music took me on. It was oddly nostalgic despite it being such an up-and-coming blend of “shoegazing” rock.

Despite such an acclaimed success, in terms of garnering millions of streams and new listeners every single day, Novulent continues to push that musical needle forward. Their sound can be best described as innovative, atmospheric with an inevitable cutting-edge production. The name itself is very avant-garde which flows well with its experimental, ambient genre fusing together emotional depth and carefully textured soundscapes that indulge the listener, albeit old or new.

The crowd at Cobra Lounge was relatively eclectic, unlike anything I’ve seen before. There were your typical alt-rock dads clutching a can of Miller Lite and engaging with the artists the loudest, the punks, the goths, but the girls really brought the fashion forward. Many were sporting ripped tights with fluffy booties or matching high platform shoes paired with their own jewelry flair. Suddenly my black tube top and its cropped red leather jacket counterpart were a match made in heaven and I truthfully felt like I was amongst my own people.

Some people might be inclined to believe that metal/alt rock shows at smaller dive bars or venues can be intimidating, but I found out a long time ago that it's actually a community full of like minded people who just wanna rock out, hang out, mosh and indulge in the soundwaves of the music. I think I feel a lot safer in a crowd full of metal heads than I've ever felt amongst a crowd full of ravers...but that is a conversation for another piece.

I don't hide the fact that I am open minded when it comes to music. I attend and frequent a lot of different shows and dabble in a multitude of genres. At one point in the evening, the crowd opened up a giant mosh pit to rage in. During the second round, Novulent joined the fans and hopped into the pit himself. I couldn’t help but notice a very young fan, perched atop his dad’s shoulder, smack dab next to Nouvelent singing along. At that moment, it was very evident that all the millions of streams, the catchy songs, the fashion and the artistry of Novulent really brought everyone together. I really am enamored by his humility, his kindness and his overall stage presence. I think it was riveting and breathtaking to witness him in concert, understand what the hype is all about and despite the melancholic musical notes and riffs, really feel what his music is trying to convey.

Towards the end of the show, Novulent was kind enough to stay behind and take pictures with literally every single person…including yours truly.

While I had spontaneously stumbled upon his art, I feel like it was the beginning of a really great journey that I’m planning on enduring on alongside this incredibly diverse musician. I can’t wait to see what else the future has in store for him and hopefully we can join him in the moshpit once again.

To get more of Novulent, check out his discography on all streaming services...