Nick Rich brings a new charm and easygoing funk to classic country with a harmonious singer/songwriter touch that gets enhanced every time he picks up the guitar. Starting his music journey at the young age of 3, dancing in his mom’s dance classes, he quickly learned of his knack for carrying a tune. Moving on to the violin and teaching himself the acoustic guitar, the writing came easy. At the age of 10 Nick sang alongside Kenny Rogers at his farewell Christmas tour and his country influences are evident. Life experiences and increased music knowledge have led to the unique sound that Nick Rich brings to the table: Y’allternative, a mix of country storytelling and alternative sounds.
Who are some of your musical influences?
In fifth grade I got the chance to be a part of Kenny Rogers’ Christmas Choir on his tour. Ever since I met him I knew I wanted to make country music. I started to dive deep into writing when Adele released her record “25” in 2015. Ever since then I’ve really gotten into strong vocalists like Chris Stapleton, Kacey Musgraves and James Bay. For some reason I really dig artists with a progressive country/blues sound.
Do you have any songwriting tips you can share?
My approach to songwriting is really simple. I hate the Nashville approach to writing which is all about formulas. I think any system to writing a song kills originality so I tend to avoid it. I think Michael Jackson said it best when he described his writing process: get out of the way of the music. I approach every song that I write with the notion that the song is already written and I’m just the vessel.
What is your vision for a more just music industry?
I think there needs to be more focus on the actual music rather than the image. You see new artists who come out with something original and then get scooped up by labels that turn them into something commercial. I think the future of the industry is in independent artists and social media, not labels.
How do you feel your queer identity ties into your performance style or music?
In my lyrics. I try to write from the viewpoint of my sexuality and personal experiences. Obviously I’m gay so that inevitably has to come through with my music or else it’s not my story.
Do you start off with the music or lyrics first? Why?
It depends. I have about 300 Notes pages and 3000 voice memos of lyrics or melodies. Sometimes I go back to a line that sparks a song and other times it just gets lost. I think songs that start of as poems or lyrics tend to have a stronger foundation, but that’s just my opinion.