There are no words for Hatis Noit

Hatis Noit's parents were less than supportive of the singer's initial vocal efforts. When the avant garde entertainer would belt out songs as a child, Noit's mother and father shushed the fledgling vocalist.

But that failed to deter Noit, who was inspired to sing after hearing a female Buddhist monk chant at a Japanese Temple.

"That experience changed my life," Noit said during a virtual interview from Japan.

Noit turned what she has been most passionate about into a career. She loops her voice like Meredith Monk and Bjork. Noit, who will perform Tuesday, Jan 20 at the Englert Theatre, layers her vocals and presents deep, baroque songs.

Noit's clarion call of a voice is akin to a singular choir. Her voice is moving, surprising and unpredictable. There's no one quite like Noit on the music scene.

Hatis Noit means lotus flower in Japanese. Noit comes across that way during our interview, gentle and sweet. However, Noit transforms when performing with welcome intensity. That's part of why she has attracted a loyal group of aficionados who enjoy her unusual sound.

Her fans include renowned producer Rick Rubin (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Public Enemy) and the late maverick director David Lynch. The latter added her to his 2019 Manchester International Festival showcase. It makes sense that Lynch and Noit connected since the uncompromising filmmaker and the envelope pushing singer are cut from the same creative cloth. And it's no surprise that Noit is a huge Lynch fan.

"David Lynch was incredible," Noit said. "He was such an artist. He always did what he wanted to do. He had no fear and made such beautiful movies. I love the film 'Blue Velvet' and the television series ‘Twin Peaks.’“

Noit admitted that she had a difficult time following the quirky "Twin Peaks."

"I had trouble knowing the difference between the character Audrey (Sherilyn Fenn) and Laura (Palmer's) best friend (Davenport native Lara Flynn Boyle)," Noit said. "But I loved the show and what Lynch created. He was so different."

The same can be said for Noit who performs unaccompanied while delivering her songs. Her groundbreaking album "Aura," a tribute to German philosopher Walter Benjamin, is compelling and dramatic.

Benjamin's essay "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction“ is about the concept of original artwork. The focus is on art's presence or its aura compared to a reproduction.

With Noit, the reproduction is recorded music, which can be full of studio tricks. It's about live performance with Noit. Her vocals delivered in person are both jarring and exhilarating. Noit displays what a voice is capable of since she impresses with both range and direction. She moves an audience by yodeling, chanting and growling.

"I can't help but imagine a time when we didn't have language," Noit said. "Before language, how did we perceive the world? When I make music I like to try to go back to that time."

Noit was initially moved by such visionaries as the aforementioned Bjork and Dead Can Dance. She was initially in a band but was moved to perform alone. It didn't take long for her to find an audience in Japan.

"People enjoy what I do here but they are so reserved when I perform," Noit said. "It's not like how it is in America where people respond with such enthusiasm when I sing."

Noit receives ovations in America due to the quality of her music and originality.

"I'm looking forward to coming back to the United States and to Iowa," Noit said. "I remember the last time I was there. There was a lot of excitement about basketball."

When Noit performed in April 2024 at the Riverside Theatre during the Mission Creek Festival, the University of Iowa's women's basketball team reached the Elite Eight behind the incredible performance of the iconic Caitlin Clark, who led the team during that historic season.

"I remember how great the energy was when I was in the city," Noit said. "It was so exciting."

Sports bring people together and so does music. Noit's work can be filed under world music since her work is inspired by Bulgarian choirs, Japanese classical music and folk music from around the world.

Noit's work transcends language since the noises she emits aren't exactly words but sounds, which are primal. Her work has a universal appeal. Even Noit's parents now approve.

"Yes, they are pleased by what I do now," Noit said. "They understand what I do and support it."

Expect Noit to deviate from her recorded material when she performs at the Englert.

"The songs keep developing," Noit said. "It's always a little different since I get inspired by the audience. I very much look forward to flying back to the United States since the audiences are so responsive."