Nico Vega
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Nico Vega

Los Angeles, California, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2014 | INDIE

Los Angeles, California, United States | INDIE
Established on Jan, 2014
Band Alternative Pop

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"L.A. Rockers Nico Vega Discuss Their Growing Fame, Surprisingly Low-Budget ‘Beast’ Video + Upcoming Tour Plans Read More: L.A. Rockers Nico Vega Discuss Their Growing Fame, Surprisingly Low-Budget ‘Beast’ Video + Upcoming Tour Plans"

Nico Vega recently finished touring with Imagine Dragons, and according to singer Aja Volkman, the trek was like “a bubble of craziness” she couldn’t see out of. That makes sense, since Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds happens to be her husband.
“Things are happening so fast for them, and we feel like our heads our spinning,” Volkman tells Diffuser.fm. “It’s great, but I’m getting to see how that kind of fame can get overwhelming. In a way, it makes me appreciate the fact that Nico Vega is on a different pace, and it’s not overwhelming me right now.”
That might change soon. Formed in Los Angeles back in 2005, Nico Vega have slowly built their small-yet-growing fan base through a series of critically acclaimed releases and a steady diet of touring. They’ve shared stages with the likes of Blondie, Neon Trees and Metric, and later this year, the combo will release ‘Lead to Light,’ their sophomore album.
Having laid some impressive groundwork, Volkman and her band mates are primed for big things.
“We’ve taken our live shows very seriously from the beginning,” she says. “We’ve always been like, ‘We need to get better and better!’ The band has been touring for years, but we definitely played to a lot of new people on the Imagine Dragons tour. So weirdly, we feel like we’re finally just breaking.”
Nico Vega’s recent video for the track ‘Beast’ has also helped break the group with a new audience. It’s a powerful clip, as Volkman admits, though she says fans shouldn’t confuse it for a high-budget production. In fact, she says, its creation is more in line with the band’s DIY roots.
“Our drummer [Dan Epland] is actually a director and editor now,” she says. “Even though we had a really small budget, he pulled every possible favor he could from his friends who work in video production to make it happen. These were people that wanted to work on something cool that they believed in, even though there wasn’t a lot of money to work with.”
“In L.A., you can do that, since there are so many talented people there,” Volkman adds. “I’m sure Dan would love a ton of money to work on a big video, but I think it’s the resistance of a small budget that sometimes makes people come up with a really amazing piece of art.”
Volkman also dished on Nico Vega’s next road mission, revealing that the band will play a string of U.S. and Canadian dates (see below) with Crash Kings.
“We just hit those markets with Imagine Dragons, and they were huge rooms, but a lot of our fans didn’t get to see us, since the shows were selling out so quickly, before we even were added to the bill,” Volkman says. “This time, we’ll be headlining, and there will be plenty of opportunity for the folks that didn’t see us last time to come out.”
Nico Vega have known the Crash Kings gang for years, Volkman says it’s about time they join their friends on the road.
“They are an amazing live band, and their singer, Tony [Beliveau], has been such a big inspiration to me,” she says. “I’m also going to bring my baby on the road this time. It’s going to be truly a family affair.”


Read More: L.A. Rockers Nico Vega Discuss Their Growing Fame, Surprisingly Low-Budget ‘Beast’ Video + Upcoming Tour Plans | http://diffuser.fm/nico-vega-interview-2013-we-are-the-art/?trackback=tsmclip - Diffuser.FM


"Hear the 'BioShock Infinite' version of Nico Vega's single 'Beast' here -- EXCLUSIVE"

you’ve turned on your television in the past few months, you’ve surely been treated to commercials for BioShock Infinite, the critically adored video game that features Nico Vega‘s “Beast” in its ads. And if you dug the commercial’s appropriately fierce song, you can hear the whole thing in its entirety exclusively here.
“Beast” was originally a single from the band’s Fury Oh Fury EP, which came out back in February. But the version of the song that you’ve heard in the commercials is in fact a mix of the studio version and the acoustic one, which hasn’t been released until now.
“It’s amazing for us that the acoustic and electric versions of ‘Beast’ got combined together into one song, because they are both dear to us in different ways,” says singer Aja Volkman. “It encapsulates who we are as a band and it’s really become our anthem.’” - Entertainment Weekly


"New Mix: Premieres From Nico Vega"

Also on the show, we've got premieres from singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Joe Henry, and the rapturous rock group Nico Vega. Henry's epic new song, "Sparrow," from his upcoming album Invisible Hour, is a deeply moving reflection on a long life filled with awe and wonder, while Nico Vega's "I'm On Fire" is a joyful, fist-pumping pop ode to "funky dance" moves. - NPR All Songs Considered


Discography

Still working on that hot first release.

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Bio

Fate guides you to the girl of your dreams, her face is filled with a past-life familiarity and her unpredictability explodes your heart. She reveals the most personal parts of herself, she delivers pure joy and love, and you think: this is new, this is different, better than what I dreamed, and yet it feels like I’ve loved it forever -- this is Nico Vega, this is their long-awaited sophomore release, Lead to Light. And to the light you shall be led. The lyrically vibrant, melody driven album may feel for some hardcore Nico Vega devotees like a departure from the gritty, visceral, rock-centered nature of the “Beast”, but fear not, dance towards the light. The trio (Rich Koehler-guitar, Dan Epand-drums and Aja Volkman-vocals) has always shot from the hip, resulting in a rawness that’s impossible to put in a box and is nearly transcendent in its live form. Lead to Light builds from that same rebel spirit, raising the stakes with heart-centered alternative pop ballad/jams that still carry the torch of their beloved underdog, but this time it’s also personal. The light leads inward; towards a deeply autobiographical musical narrative of the journey the trio has traveled (marriages, children, love) since their self-titled release. Volkman’s fearless vulnerability forges honest lyrics that don’t shy away from the human questions, “What are we doing? And what’s this all for?” The answers are chronicled in a sound driven by a blissful urgency, dusted with synth, a pulsing guitar-centered escalation, and an emotional edge. What we hear is Nico Vega standing on that edge, waving a flag of surrender and victory. It’s a fight for everyone, but now, also for themselves resulting in a deepened electricity that reverberates with a decisive lust for life. In simpler terms: it’s a big Nico Vega party and we’re all invited. Volkman’s voice weaves itself seamlessly through a stunning range on the album. At one end, the single “I Believe (Get Over Yourself),” a high-spirited chorus dance-jam, produced by Dan Reynolds, Imagine Dragons’ front man, and on the other end, a beautifully haunting cover of “Bang Bang.” The underdog spirit takes flight with “No Home” a pulsating ballad that builds to its inspired demand: “You’ve got to fight for what you love and build your home!” The fight leads forward for “the red-headed step-child” (as Volkman lovingly chants) in “I’m on Fire,” an epic, blazing, indie anthem, sparked with a melodic whimsy, and a delicious throwback to soul, that makes you wanna shout it all back. The dynamics flip from fierce to playful and back again. Dropping into an infectiously precocious hip-hop beat, “Back of my Hand” features lyrics ripped from the diary of Volkman’s 13 year-old self; the sound is captivating in its sparseness. Volkman croons fearlessly into opposing worlds, flirting with hip hop, blues, and funk as the band follows suit, orchestrating a fresh alternative pop sound,
ultimately modern, but echoing, at times, a vintage-bluesy past that proves the “beast”, in all its glory, is the greatest of contradictions. Lead to Light marks the evolution of Nico Vega from intuitive songwriters towards crafted and relevant collaborator/producers. They were chosen to cover Cher's “Bang Bang” for A&E's miniseries Bonnie and Clyde. Earlier in the year, their anthem song “Beast” charted its way, beyond its cult-like following, into mainstream audiences with multiple syncs in advertisements for Vampire Academy, BioShock Infinite, Ketel One, Jack Reacher, and Pacific Rim. Lead to Light is in your face, it’s by your side, and it’s got your back. It’s your child-hood best friend, it’s the girl of your dreams, and she’s gonna make you dance in spite of yourself: it’s Lead to Light.