Noa Bar Finds Freedom After Heartbreak on New Single "MILK AND HOTTIES"

Los Angeles singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and NPR Tiny Desk finalist Noa Bar embraces that idea on her latest single, "MILK AND HOTTIES," the first taste of her forthcoming album, A Heartbreak Specialist. Blending disco rhythms, jazz sensibilities, hip-hop influences, and her unmistakably experimental production style, the track transforms heartbreak into something unexpectedly liberating.

Written after the end of a significant relationship, "MILK AND HOTTIES" documents a period of self-discovery rather than self-destruction. Instead of dwelling on what was lost, Noa explores the freedom that comes with reconnecting to yourself, even while navigating the lingering challenges of learning to trust again.

Part of what makes the single so captivating is Noa's unconventional approach to production. Known for her viral looping performances, she continues to turn everyday sounds into musical building blocks. The chorus features a sample taken from a friend's car reverse camera, while the percussion incorporates the sound of her jacket zipper, proving that creativity often lives in the most unexpected places.

As the opening chapter of A Heartbreak Specialist, "MILK AND HOTTIES" sets the tone for an album that promises to explore heartbreak from a refreshingly different perspective. We caught up with Noa Bar to talk about the inspiration behind the song, her boundary-pushing production process, and what listeners can expect from the new record.

"MILK AND HOTTIES" begins near the end of your heartbreak story rather than the beginning. What made you want to introduce A Heartbreak Specialist from that perspective?

That’s a great question. I started writing the album while I was going through a heartbreak. During that time, I healed, fell in love again, and had my heart broken again, all while I was creating Danceable Problems, my first album.

In a way, I wanted to spoil the ending a little bit. I wanted to tell anyone listening to the album and following my story that I would be okay again and that they would be too. When we’re going through a breakup, it can feel like there will never be a better love, or that we’re simply too hurt to love again.

But love is the best feeling on earth. I won’t spoil the album's actual ending because that would be like telling you the ending of a movie. But sometimes when you watch a thriller, you don’t need to know exactly how it ends. You just want to know the hero will be okay eventually. Or maybe that’s just me.

You’ve become known for turning everyday objects into instruments. What’s the most unexpected sound you’ve ever recorded that ended up making it into a song?

You can actually hear a few of them on “Milk and Hotties.” The reverse camera sound from a car became the lead synth in the chorus, and the zipper from my jacket became a hi-hat. We even used a voice memo from the day we wrote the song and worked it into the final recording.

We wanted to be as experimental as possible with this album. I feel like part of my job as an artist is to discover new sounds and bring them into the world. There are so many creative ideas throughout this project, and I’m incredibly excited for people to hear everything we’ve been working on.

The track balances confidence and vulnerability in a really interesting way. How did your relationship with solitude change during the healing process?

That’s such an interesting question. For most of my life, I was terrified of loneliness. I constantly surrounded myself with people, whether that meant having friends over, going out, dating, or finding ways to avoid being alone.

My last breakup changed that completely. I found myself struggling to trust people, so I withdrew and focused on therapy and self-growth. Around that same time, I started posting my looping videos online, and suddenly, things in my career started coming together.

Eventually, solitude became a choice instead of a fear. I discovered that I genuinely enjoy spending time with myself. I go to bookstores, galleries, movies, and restaurants alone because I love my own company. I also noticed how much my inner peace and career benefited from becoming more protective of my energy.

Today, I’m lucky to have amazing friends and people I love around me, but I’m definitely more intentional about who I let into my life. I think I’ve become an extroverted introvert.

Your music blends disco, jazz, hip-hop, and experimental production so naturally. Do you start with genre in mind, or do you simply follow whatever sounds excite you?

I usually start with a feeling. Most of the time, I have something I want to say, a melody stuck in my head, or a chorus I can’t stop thinking about. From there, we start building around it, layering sounds and stripping things back until it feels right emotionally.

I’ve been incredibly lucky to work with my producer, Jonathan. He somehow says yes to all of my wild ideas and finds ways to bring them to life. Most of our sessions feel like two music nerds experimenting with instruments and sounds until something clicks emotionally.

Genre is never really the goal. The feeling is.

If listeners take away one feeling from "MILK AND HOTTIES," what do you hope is still with them after the song ends?

I’d love for listeners to realize how beautiful life can become when you learn to enjoy your own company. For me, everything started changing when I stopped looking for validation elsewhere and started protecting my peace and energy.

Spending time with myself helped me heal, grow, and ultimately build a life that feels much more aligned with who I am. If someone walks away from this song feeling inspired to choose themselves, even for a moment, that would mean everything to me.