FROM EAST COAST TO THE WEST - A Letter to the Scene
To my Nova Scotia music family,
When I think about the scene back home, the first thing that comes to mind isn’t just the talent, it’s how that talent exists. World-class, yes, but never at the expense of heart. Grounded. Unpretentious. Close to the source in a way that feels impossible to replicate anywhere else.
In Nova Scotia, songwriting isn’t something you chase, it’s something you live inside of.
I think about it all the time. Campfires in the middle of nowhere. House parties where we were way too drunk, passing guitars around. We weren’t thinking about careers, or success, or who was going to “make it.” We wrote for the love of it.
And somehow, without even realizing it, we were building something in each other.
We showed up for one another. Always. Whether it was a set at the Marquee, the Seahorse, or some room with barely a stage and a broken PA. It didn’t matter. If someone had a gig, we were there. That kind of community is rare. I don’t think I understood how rare it was until I left.
I’m in Los Angeles now, and I miss home in a way that catches me off guard. Because the truth is, I don’t think I’ve ever felt more inspired than I did being there with all of you. There are incredible people out here, truly, but nobody can hold a candle to the way Nova Scotians create. There’s a pure joy to it. To me, that’s where the most beautiful music comes from.
Thank you for believing in me, even in the years when there wasn’t much to believe in yet. Thank you for treating me like I belonged before I had anything to show for it. Thank you for the songs, the late nights, the rides, the conversations, the moments that felt small at the time but ended up shaping everything.
This past year releasing my project “Shhugar” has changed my life. But when I really think about it, the foundation of everything that’s happening now was built over the last ten years with you. Long before anyone outside of Nova Scotia cared. I carry that with me every single day.
I love you all more than I probably say, and more than I’ll ever be able to properly explain. And I already know that one of the best nights of my year will be being back home, a little drunk, in one of your houses, like nothing ever changed.
So thank you, Matt, Darryl, Chelsea, Nicole, Moose, Quake, Gordie, Kyle, Dylan, Jodi, Carleton, Rankin, Eddy, Kayo, Sneaky Jim, Jean & Ambrose, Breagh, Sheri, Wayne, Frank, Adrian, Dave, and everyone else who was part of this. You are my foundation, and in so many ways, you are my home.
It might sound corny, but it’s the truth, you are my heart. And knowing you’re out there makes the world feel a lot less lonely, and a lot less frightening.
If I can say anything to the younger artists coming up in Nova Scotia, it’s this: don’t rush past where you are. I know the instinct is to leave, to chase something bigger, something faster. And you should, when the time comes. But don’t miss what’s right in front of you while you’re there.
Because what you have is so special.
The way you’re learning to write, the honesty, the closeness, the lack of pretense or agenda, that is the thing. That is what will carry you further than anything else ever could.
LA is cool. New York is cool. Toronto is cool.
But Nova Scotia is what makes you who you are.
It’s what keeps you grounded.
And it’s what will make you last.
No matter how far you go, carry it with you.
I know I always will.
Love,
Nova
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Originally from Nova Scotia and now based in Los Angeles, Baby Nova creates alt-pop with cinematic vocals and moody electronic sounds. Her debut album Shhugar (2026) has earned 1M+ streams for “Too Pretty for Buffalo” and a feature on Elton John’s Rocket Hour.
Stay up to date on her latest music releases, tour dates, and live shows.
