Interview with Nick-e


Q: Please tell me something about yourself. When did you start singing and writing songs?

Nick-e: I began singing close to the age that I began talking. Probably around 3 years old. I used to sing with my cousins and perform for our parents on holidays. As I got older, I joined school choirs and pretty much stuck with it all the way through high school and then went on to get my diploma in music production in college. Growing up I wrote a lot of poetry and short stories and as I heard music in my head I would turn some of my poetry into songs. The more I did it the more comfortable I became with the idea of song writing and I just continue to try to improve with every new song I write.

Q: Who has influenced you and how would you describe your music? Where do you see your niche in today's market?

Nick-e: I was surrounded by a lot of music growing up. My brother was a DJ which exposed me to a lot of new music along the way such as R&B, Hip hop & Reggae and being close with my cousins, my uncle would listen to a lot of music like motown, The Stylistics, Al Green, Prince, & Anita Baker. I was influenced by these artists and also gained other musical tastes like Sade, U2, Janet Jackson, Ella Fitzgerald, Donny Hathaway. I think because of this exposure, I've learned to appreciate a lot of different types of music and incorporate those diverse musical styles into my own music. Kind of like a Soul/Jazz/Pop fusion. It may not be deemed the most popular style of music in relation to today's current market, but I find that the market today is very fickle. I've never tried to mold myself into what the industry wants me to be. Today's gem is tomorrow's trash. I've always just tried to be more concerned with being honest and loving the music I create for me first and then hoping that others can appreciate it as well.

Q: How content are you with the responses by listeners and critics for your CD Mosaic?

Nick-e: I'm very content. I've had both positive and less than positive responses and I'm ok with that. I know that my music is not for everyone because we're all different and all have different tastes. I'm happy if even one person gains something positive from my music.

Q: I especially like the songs with an organic musical background like It Feels Good or I Say. Why didn't you include these musicans on the other tracks like Numb or Turn Me Around as well?

Nick-e: I like music that has a lot of different textures to it. I wanted all the songs on the album to be cohesive but I didn't want them to all sound the same. The analog sound is only one side of me, the digital side is another. I really wanted this EP to be a complete representation of who I am as an artist.

Q: Mosaic takes the listener from soul to jazz to urban/R&B to electro. Don't you think this makes it harder for the average listeners to nail you down?

Nick-e: Possibly, but as I mentioned before I don't really make music to try to please everyone because it's not humanly possible. Those who are open to something a little out of the box will be ok with the diversity I think. The EP is called Mosaic because that's what it is - a mosaic of musical styles, subjects and artistry. I think we're all made up of a hundred different elements so it was important for me to express that.

Q: You've written and produced all the songs on Mosaic. Please tell me the stories behind songs like Muse, Numb or I Say.

Nick-e: I don't want to give it all away because I think that explaining too much doesn't allow the listener to create their own meanings and relationship with the songs but I'll tell you about Muse. Muse was a song I wrote after someone who I had a "relationship" with told me that he thought that I put myself in situations that I knew wouldn't work out for the sole purpose of gaining artistic inspiration. After laughing at his ridiculous assumption and then starting a new toxic relationship, I thought about his words and wrote about it. Kind of ironic.

Q: You were born and raised in Canada. Please tell me more about the music scene there. Is there something like a black music scene? Or do artists tend to emigrate to the USA? How easy or difficult is it to get heard there as soul artist?

Nick-e: In North America, what you refer to as the "black music scene" we refer to as "Urban Music". It basically encompasses styles such as R&B, Hip hop and Soul - styles that are more prevelant in the Urban city centres and associated with Black artists. The Urban scene in Canada I think is something that is slowly growing, but is still no where near the popularity of the American music scene. I think that because there is more opportunity in the States for urban artists, some Canadian artists do tend to emigrate there to try to create a name for themselves and then make their way back to Canada. However, there are still a lot of really talented artists here who are succeeding in helping our own urban scene to really florish and be noticed internationally.

Q: Is Smooth Groove Records your own label?

Nick-e: Yes, Smooth Groove Records is my own little label that I initially started as a vanity label to promote my own music. It's sometimes hard to be heard by other people in the industry if they think that you're an unknown artist. They tend to write you off right away. I find that people are more willing to listen to you if you present yourself in a professional way, so I decided to start my own label with the intention to first focus on myself and then later branch out with other artists. I am hoping to eventually work with other local artists in the future, possibly on an urban compilation with the proceeds going to charity.

Q: With six songs Mosaic is a little bit short for a full-length album. Are you already working on another CD with more songs? What will it sound like?

Nick-e: I have actually started writing music for my next album which I definitely want to be a full length. I don't anticipate straying too far from the sound that I have now because it really is who I am at this point in my life. I'm looking forward to gaining new experiences and writing new material for this album. Again, I think it will be a healthy dose of organic and electronic sounds and textures.

For more infos visit nickeonline.com, cdbaby.com and read my review of Mosaic.