Nobu Woods

Nobu Woods is a Dominican-American singer, songwriter, and producer from Jamaica, Queens, known for his self-produced, atmospheric approach to alternative R&B. Born to first-generation immigrants from the Dominican Republic, Woods was raised on the rhythm-first sounds of bachata and merengue, developing an early ear for melody and emotional storytelling. As a teenager, he gravitated toward the moody, nocturnal sounds of the early 2010s Toronto R&B scene, listening to The Weeknd, Drake, and PARTYNEXTDOOR, as well as the intensity of SoundCloud-era rap from Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti, and Juice WRLD. These early regional scenes inspired him to begin teaching himself FL Studio at just 16 years old, eventually moving from producing for friends to recording his own vocals after an engineer challenged him to explore writing. Beyond music, his influences in film and philosophy shape his creative process. Drawing from filmmakers like Wong Kar-Wai and David Fincher, his work carries a cinematic quality, while his visuals often resemble short films influenced by his appreciation of horror. His introspective, emotionally mature lyricism is informed by a deep interest in philosophy and writers such as Nietzsche, Osho, and Dostoevsky, giving his songs a reflective weight. This interdisciplinary mindset has made him an uncommon voice in contemporary R&B, a genre that has increasingly drifted from its foundations in emotional expression and romantic vulnerability.