Faith Noel, a Nashville recording artist and multi-instrumentalist with Southern Maryland roots, shared insights into her musical journey during a recent interview. The 21-year-old performer, born in Maryland and raised partly in St. Mary’s County before moving to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania at age one, discussed early influences, songwriting, live performances, and upcoming projects.
Noel began performing publicly at a young age. She recalled approaching bluegrass artist Rhonda Vincent at a meet-and-greet. “So what I remember most, of course, is asking her if I could sing with her at the meet and greet line,” Noel said. Vincent invited her onstage during the performance. “She said, I met a girl today named Jolene, and … a girl named Faith wanted to sing it, so if you’re out there, come here.” Noel sprinted to the stage and joined in, despite wearing a casual space coat and having her hair in a ponytail and braid. The experience left a lasting impact on her confidence. “It shaped my confidence in a way of just being, like, welcoming to younger artists,” she explained. She has since invited a young performer to join one of her shows, seeing her younger self in the artist.
As a multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar, mandolin, ukulele, piano, and some drums and bass, Noel approaches songwriting in varied ways. “For songwriting, it varies for me from whether it’s just like a title I have in my head … or even like a lyric in my head,” she said. Ideas also stem from personal experiences, others’ stories, chord progressions or melodies. She recently completed a melody-driven track that became the title song for her forthcoming EP. Writer’s block challenged her, but she overcame it by allowing herself to feel emotions fully. “I got through it because I allowed myself to feel what I was feeling.”
Noel’s music blends country with rock, pop and bluegrass elements. She does not predetermine a song’s direction. “A lot of times, I don’t know until I start writing,” she noted. One recent song shifted toward country rock with attitude, diverging from her initial concept for the better.
Large festivals and intimate venues both appeal to her. She performed at the Barefoot Country Music Festival. “The adrenaline rush was great,” Noel said. “The people singing the songs along that I knew … knew they would know.” Smaller settings allow storytelling and deeper connection. “It’s more like, personable, and I feel like you can be more open and honest.” She values both formats.
Opening for artists such as Chayce Beckham, LoCash, Dylan Marlow, among others, and an after-party for Brett Michaels taught her a core principle. “Be yourself … Don’t be afraid to, like, be yourself,” Noel stated. “People like the real … they don’t want, just like a polished up version of yourself.”
Emotional themes drive her originals, including “Careless” and “Looks Are Heard.” Grief and loss inspire much of her current writing. “Right now I’m writing songs about grief and loss, which is something that’s so super important to me,” she said. High school experiences with loss, fundraisers and conversations with others fuel this focus. She aims for her music to aid healing. “As much as it heals me, I know that it’s also going to heal people that listen to it.”
Awards, including multiple CPMA nominations and wins plus SMBA scholarships, reinforce her drive while keeping her grounded. “Remembering my roots … the people that have helped me build this,” Noel emphasized. Seeing her parents’ pride motivates her most. “Seeing them so proud, like where it brings them to tears. It’s just like that, right there is my motivation.”
Recording at Nashville’s Blackbird Studio differed markedly from live shows. “It’s so different than live, because you get to see something that you worked on just even like blossom even more,” she described. Professional musicians enhanced her vision beyond initial chords and feelings.
In the next five to 10 years, Noel envisions a genre-blending career. “Country, rock, pop, but you know, my own, like version, of course, going back my roots, Blue Grass, all that.” She hopes fans gain a sense of healing and community. “I really just hope that my music heals people … that you’re not alone.” Faith elements also play a role. “I’ve been big on, is the Lord, you know, and I just hope to share more about Jesus through my music.”
Her debut EP, “Angel Wings,” features five or six tracks centered on loss and hope. The title track originated from a melody conceived during a Springboard Festival tour in Texas. An earlier fragment titled “The Never Ending, Never Knowing,” written in 2023 after high school losses, evolved into “From the Sky.” She plans studio work soon and targets a December release to align with holiday seasons when grief intensifies. “I’m hoping to release it in December because then you have Christmas and New Year.”
Locally, Noel returns to Southern Maryland stages. She headlines at Toots in Hollywood, St. Marys County, on April 25, performing from approximately 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. or midnight, with photography by Jack Nutter beforehand. She performs weekly at Seacrets in Ocean City, Maryland, Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., except July 9 when she travels to Utah. Additional dates include a Pennsylvania festival this summer and a November Texas tour with Springboard.
Noel expressed excitement about connecting with hometown audiences. “It’s gonna be awesome playing in where I was, like the area that I was born,” she said. Her journey from bluegrass stages to Nashville studios reflects dedication to authentic artistry and community impact in Southern Maryland and beyond.
Find out more about Faith, her music snd upcoming shows at FaithNoel.com.
