It’s always amazed and intrigued me to identify the origins of some of the world’s most accomplished artists. When did they first experience their undeniable calling? As a kid growing up, that moment happened at age 13 when I offered to shovel coal every day to earn the money to buy my first drum kit. Later I would discover that the legendary Gene Krupa began drumming at age 3, and the incredible Buddy Rich started working up his chops at age 5. I wondered – Had I missed the boat? All I can say for sure is once the bug caught me, it would be forever! I’m eternally grateful for the thousands of concerts I’ve played, and that the inspiration to continue hasn’t faded.

But for singer/guitarist/songwriter Nicola, the calling came much earlier. At age 5 she pleaded with her dad to buy her a guitar. While the pleading may have continued until her father finally gave in when Nicola was 7, she has made good on the investment. From that time to this she has honed her skills, and is now poised to take the world by storm! From her humble beginnings on New York’s Lower East Side, she has developed into one of the most accomplished, energetic, and undeniably gifted musicians of our time.

Much credit must be given for her own personal marketing strategy. Rather than playing coffee houses and local clubs exclusively, where attendance is never guaranteed, she took her act underground – literally – performing where she knew the crowd could be counted on to show every time – in New York’s bustling Subway System. With this as her regular venue, she quickly gained a devoted following, and eventually caught the attention of the major news media, who featured her subterranean performance on the nightly news, again catapulting her to new heights of public awareness.

So, what makes Nicola so special? I feel uniquely qualified to answer this question, having begun my skills as a critical musical analyst while developing in the womb – my mother was attending the prestigious Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY majoring in Piano and Music Education at the time. Then there were all those afternoons listening to mom’s (constructive) criticisms of teams of young students repeating every phrase until they got it right! Back to Nicola. Vocally, her pitch is absolutely perfect yet at the same time very natural. Her dynamics seem effortless, and extremely well conceived musically. Her phrasing is pure genius, highly original and articulate, never seeming forced. She has a wide vocal range, giving her greater creative freedom as she constructs her ingenious melodic lines. I could go on and on – in short she’s got some of the most phenomenal ‘pipes’ I’ve ever heard!! From the sweet to the playfully nasty, she adds just right tonal spiciness to every line. Her lyrics are intelligent, thought provoking and poetic, punctuated with the occasional ‘hook’ lines that are sure to hold your attention, and gives the songs a certain commercial appeal. She is a true musical Artist!

Her musical influences are quite diverse – from Billy Holliday to Tina Turner to Prince to U2, she digs it all. She also projects a sensuous aura and full-throated delivery reminiscent of the denim-clad Country star Gretchen Wilson! Her own musical style incorporates the same stylistic diversity – Pop, Rock, Reggae, Soul, Folk, Alternative. I like to think of it simply as highly original. She’s got great instincts when it comes to song writing, so attempting to slip her into a box is frankly counter-productive and unnecessary.

Educated at the LaGuardia School of Arts in New York, Nicola, in addition to her musical training, also studied dance. On stage she incorporates all of her skills, including making good use of her sexy side with seductive Flamenco dance moves, adding an appealing flair to the performance. Go Girl Go, you sexy thang!!! Her tight band, made up of bassist “Jules” Rosaly and seasoned rockers Eric Seiz (Guitars and Trumpet), John Clancy, and Ray "El Chino" Diaz. She has just released her 3rd CD, “Don’t Take It Personally” (her previous CDs were “Real” and “What’’s the Point”). This latest effort is a masterpiece from start to finish, with great diversity of styles, and plenty of punch. It really showcases her incredible range of talent and artistry and is sure to get much deserved media coverage.

Nicola’s infectious music has been sweeping the press. She has been featured in the National Songwriters Hall of Fame, Billboard, Women Who Rock, Inside Connection, Glide, TimeOut London, TimeOut NY, New York Cool, The Village Voice, Outwords, Long Island Entertainment, Go NYC, Punk Globe, Songwriter Universe, The Deli and in newspapers across the globe. Nicola has also been on over a dozen documentaries, and some of the hottest television stations and websites including, MTV, VH1.com, NBC Primetime News, ABC World News, Warner/Reprise Records site: Flypaper, MTA's Music Under NY, Powergig.com, and Indie-News.com. Additionally, Nicola’s music is also in radio rotation on college and FM stations nationwide.

Upcoming gigs include:
Bar Nine, NY, NY – June 3
“On The Border” NY, NY – June 13 and June 17
Starving Artist Café, Bronx, NY – August 9
Cyber Café West, Binghamton, NY – Sept. 6
The Bedford, Belham, London – Dec. 4
The Cavendish Arms Ballroom, Stockwell, London – Dec.

For Nicola, this is only the beginning of an amazing career. Bravo Nicola!

For more info go to:
www.nicolanicola.com,
www.myspace.com/nicola,
www.hotcherryrecords.com
http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3Lm5pY29sYW5pY29sYS5jb20=

< Prev		Next >