Nicole

My name is Nicole Newman. I was born in California on the 16th of February 1995. Both of my parents were from Perth, Australia and had moved to America for my dad’s work. So, when I was nearly 6 years old, my family moved back to Perth. I think at the time, I didn’t really see the massive benefits that this move would have on me. First, and foremost, I have seen two parts of the world, and, despite their similarities, I have been able to see the differences too. I guess the most obvious difference has to do with lifestyle. In Australia, we have huge expanses of land to ourselves. There are few people around and a big event or a crowded bus just means that there are no seats left to sit on or to fit every member of your family in. However, in America, it is so much more crowded. So many more people. Such a vibrant and different lifestyle. The second main, and most important difference to me, was music. Despite the fact that a lot of the commercial music and pop music heard in Australia comes from American singers or bands, it is amazing the different styles that Australian’s and American’s will listen to. To listen to the Top 40 of both countries, there are only a few parallel songs. This really inspired me to see that we are shaped so much by our culture, and to look all over the world at what music was like, and this inspired me to accept the fact that, if the music I write does not conform to one country’s ‘popular’, it may be the most popular music somewhere else in the world.
I have grown up with music in every aspect of my life. Both my parents love music, and, contrary to a vast number of people in generations older than me, they love to follow the modern music and modern musical trends. This allowed me to become involved in music from a very early age. Within our house, it is rare to walk into a room where music is not playing, whether it is just in the background while we eat dinner, or on as loud as the speakers can go in my bedroom. As a result of this, I really began to understand what music was like. How it is made. What types of voice, singer/band look, sounds, instruments and shape or form of the song meant that, at a particular time, it would be popular.
When I was only 6 years old, I had my first piano lesson. I have been having weekly lessons since then, and spend a lot of my time playing the piano. The piano lessons I have are classical lessons and as a result of this, I have a good understanding of the very delicate technical aspects of music. This meant that, when I began to write my own music, I had a really in depth understanding of the music that I was producing.
I have sung all of my life. I think that if you were to ask anyone what their initial impressions of me were they would say a) interesting hair and b) sings a lot. Singing is something that I have always loved. I love the way that you can take words, that, if they were spoken would not entirely make sense and suddenly, they make full sense to people. I also love the way that, if you were to just speak those very same words, people would not remember them, yet, when they are sung, they become ingrained in people’s minds forever. Only this year have I started formal vocal lessons. I study contemporary styles and also look at Jazz and Blues to widen my musical understanding and ability.
So, where does this leave me and my own music?
In years gone by there were singers or bands that people would absolutely crowd the streets to see. The total addiction and ‘cult’ surrounding these people has absolutely amazed me. Thinking of bands such as The Beatles, which, even today, people talk about and reference constantly, you see a commitment to music in the public that is not seen so much anymore. Today, people do not flood the streets to see a person perform. Our haircuts and clothing are not the same as the singers. And pop music, which previously was so different and so varied from song to song, has become somewhat repetitive and ‘shameful’ for many true music devotees. My goal in life is to totally change this view around. I want to be able to bring back that craze surrounding pop music: the way that people would flood the streets, just to catch even the briefest glimpse of their musical idol. I want to bring life to people in a way that has not been searched for in a number of years. I want people to have a connection with music the way that I do. To sit in their room and listen in amazement and wish that it was them that this song was about, or to wish that they themselves had written that song because ‘it’s amazing’.
And so, how do you do something like that? Something on such a large scale so as to reach the point of life- changing? I know that the very first thing would be individuality. I take my individual rights very seriously. I dress the way I want to. I talk the way I want to. I act the way I want to. I think the way I want to. I be the way I want to. I guess that some people might say: what does this have to d