Portugal Cove, NL, Newfoundland-based singer-songwriter Rachel Cousins releases her luminous new single “Nora,” a heartfelt ode to the kind of friendship that sees you through your darkest self-doubt and brings you back to the light. Co-written with Halifax-based artist Leanne Hoffman over Zoom, “Nora” is a deeply personal, poetic offering rooted in gratitude and the kind of connection that transcends platitudes.

Backed by a lush pop arrangement and Cousins’ unmistakable vocals — crisp, yearning, and emotionally razor-sharp — “Nora” paints the picture of someone we all know: a friend so radiant, she can’t recognize her own worth. “Nora, I hate the way you talk about yourself,” Cousins sings, with both anguish and hope in her voice. It’s a song for anyone who’s ever wanted to hold up a mirror to their best friend and say: Look how beautiful you are.

Openly queer and endlessly expressive, Cousins continues to carve out a space where intimacy, identity, and artistry meet. “Nora” follows her string of sync placements in hit series such as Hudson & Rex, Workin’ Moms, and The Wedding Planners, proving she’s not just writing for the radio—she’s writing for the screen, the stage, and the soul. You can explore her growing list of sync credits here.

“Nora” is as much about Rachel as it is about her friends. “I know that to my friends, I am often Nora in this scenario,” she shares. “But my friends are also Nora to me.” The result is a song that radiates mutual care and emotional reciprocity—a rare kind of self-awareness that makes “Nora” feel not only personal, but universal.

Listen to Nora on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/track/3vNJYnVg1Qo28QobqlJCQ0

Lyrically, it strikes a balance between conversational realism and lyrical flourish: “Someone else’s perception / can feel like personal rejection,” she sings, naming that all-too-familiar feeling of seeing ourselves through the wrong lens. But Cousins isn’t one to wallow. She uplifts, she restores, and she reminds us of what’s worth cherishing.

At only 23, Rachel Cousins is already a seasoned voice in Canada’s pop and singer-songwriter scenes. Her songs have topped local radio charts, made their way into national television, and earned her spots on stages across the country. “Nora” is the latest chapter in her evolution—one that showcases her growing depth as both a vocalist and a lyricist.

For fans of heartfelt, hook-filled pop with a purpose, “Nora” is the reminder we didn’t know we needed: to speak to ourselves the way we do to the people we love.

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