The Beginning of NO NA Girl Group from Indonesia Under the Auspices of 88rising, Secretly Recruited

Kapanlagi.com - When the Head in the Clouds (HITC) festival was first held in Asia in December 2022, no one expected that this event would be the starting point for the birth of a globally recognized Indonesian girl group. The festival, initiated by the international music label 88rising, took place in Jakarta and featured many cross-national musicians.

Amid the festival's euphoria, three young girls, Baila, Shaz, and Christy, met for the first time. They described the moment as a brief, awkward introduction, even just a quick handshake.

Despite its simplicity, that meeting became the beginning of a journey that would eventually lead them to the world stage with a girl group called NO NA, a new group now directly managed by 88rising. Check out the full explanation below.

1. First Meeting at the Head in the Clouds Festival Jakarta

The Early Formation of NO NA (credit: instagram/nonawav)

In December 2022, 88rising held HITC in Jakarta for the first time in Asia. This event turned out to be an initial meeting point for Baila, Shaz, and Christy.

Shaz and Christy come from the world of dance, while Baila was just starting her solo career as a singer after performing on Indonesian Idol Junior. Their meeting at that time was brief but became an important moment.

2. Complete Formation with the Presence of Esther

About six months after that initial meeting, Esther joined. She was a finalist on Indonesian Idol season 10 and added vocal strength to the group.

The four of them began intensive training in Jakarta, both in terms of vocals and choreography. "That was the moment we started spending every day together," Esther told Billboard.

3. Recruitment by 88rising Stealthily

The Origin of NO NA (credit: instagram/nonawav)

The initial approach was made by someone who did not directly reveal that they represented 88rising. "We didn't know they were from 88rising. They just said, 'Are you interested in joining a global girl group?' At first, it sounded a bit scary," said Esther.

Shaz added that they tried to find out who the person was before finally realizing that the offer was official. They accepted the offer and moved to Los Angeles in 2024.

4. Formation of NO NA's Identity and Name

The name "NO NA" is derived from the word "nona," which means young woman in Indonesian. They chose this name as a form of identity and national representation.

Now they live together in an apartment in Los Angeles and lead a life as a professional girl group. This process has become part of their journey towards the global stage.

5. Inspiration in Music and the Vision of the Girl Group

The Beginning of NO NA (credit: instagram/nonawav)

NO NA made their debut with the song Shoot, featuring R&B flavored vocal harmonies. Their next song, Superstitious, leans towards the pop genre.

They mention names like Victoria Monet, FLO, Janet Jackson, and Diana Ross as musical inspirations. Shaz states that they also want to bring Indonesian culture into their work, "We want to represent Indonesia to the world, because not many people know about our country."

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(kpl/sjn)