A snowy Sunday in the Netherlands changed everything. Dutch singer-songwriter Noble is entering an exciting new chapter with her latest single “Ugly Heart,” an empowering, upbeat country anthem that shows off a bold new side of her artistry.
Born and raised in the Netherlands, Noble felt drawn to storytelling through song from a very young age. She first stepped into the spotlight as a teenager when she reached the semi-finals of The Voice Kids Belgium, and she’s been developing her craft as a songwriter and performer ever since.
In 2022 she released her debut cinematic pop-rock album ‘Silence,’ featuring standout tracks “All I Wanted” and “Creeping,” which have gathered more than 800,000 combined streams. As her songwriting evolved, she moved toward a folk-pop sound on her EP ‘True Calling,’ a deeply personal project that became the catalyst for discovering her true home in country and folk music.
On May 8 she introduced that new direction with “chasing space,” a dreamy country-folk single that bridged her into the evolving sound, earning warm support from outlets including Triple J, Lefuture Wave and Caesar Live N Loud.
Now comes “Ugly Heart,” a spirited, unapologetic anthem about self-respect, boundaries and rejecting superficiality. “When I went into the studio with my producer Paul Aiden, we started with a blank canvas as we usually do,” Noble says. “I wanted to create something more upbeat and empowering. Paul started playing a guitar riff that I instantly loved, and before we knew it, we had the foundation of the song. While improvising melodies and lyrics, I found myself writing about setting boundaries and calling out people who value status and material things over genuine connection.”
Inspired in part by Louis Theroux’s documentary The Manosphere, “Ugly Heart” takes aim at toxic attitudes and the growing culture of performative masculinity. “It’s a song that tells certain men that women aren’t interested in them because of money or power,” she explains. “Real connection comes from authenticity, empathy, and emotional depth. ‘Ugly Heart’ is about recognizing when someone lacks those qualities and walking away.”
The single hits with real spark and conviction, a confident statement from a writer who sounds fully at home in her new lane. Originally set for June 12, its launch moved forward after an unexpected radio debut on ABC Country Australia on May 25, followed by support from ABC Radio, Triple J and Radio Australia on May 30. Days later, on June 1, “chasing space” also made its Triple J debut.
The move into country has been years in the making. “When I made True Calling, I was searching for who I was both as a person and as an artist,” Noble reflects. “Looking back now, I realize that project was helping me discover my true identity.” The turning point arrived that snowy afternoon when she wrote her first country song. “I completely fell in love with it,” she says. “I started listening to artists like Kacey Musgraves, Shania Twain, and Ella Langley, and it felt like an entirely new world opened up. For the first time, I feel completely aligned with who I am and the music I love creating.”