Becoming Autumn Nicholas

As the country music capital of the world, Nashville is known for its rich history of storytelling through song. But one musician, Autumn Nicholas, is pushing the boundaries for what it means to be a country artist in a city steeped in tradition.

“I get to keep becoming over and over,” Nicholas said.

Growing up, the option to opt out of the traditional gender binary did not exist for Nicholas. To not get bracketed as solely a queer artist, they used to steer away from embracing their gender identity.

Fed up with the anxiety of how others perceived their gender identity, Nicholas found that embracing all perceptions led to a sense of peace. The artist goes by any pronouns and has a “take me as you will” approach to gender-nonconformity.

For Nicholas, music has always been about storytelling. It’s a “Pisces thing,” they said, to be able to tap into their emotions and channel them into song. That ability to tell a story has been constant throughout their journey.

Starting as a journalism student in college then transitioning to songwriting, Nicholas found that the ability to tackle difficult conversations on religion, politics and personal experiences into a cohesive narrative was what surprised him.

Nicholas’ calm demeanor was evident when they spoke about their experiences. They’re not one to shy away from challenging the status quo, but they approach their challenges with a sense of clarity and thoughtfulness.

When discussing their gender identity, Nicholas acknowledged the challenges of being unplaceable, but they also embraced the freedom that came with it.

“I try to remain as laneless as possible,” Nicholas said.

In one of their first shows in Nashville, Nicholas received the comment, “God you have long, beautiful hair. Otherwise, I don’t know what we would do with you.”

Nicholas knew their hair had nothing to do with their music, so the next day they shaved their head completely bald. Something as simple as a shaved head and going by multiple pronouns garnered some ridicule against them. Nicholas attributed these comments to a lack of understanding and compassion.

Nicholas’ calm and thoughtful demeanor also belied the difficulties they’ve faced in a genre that has traditionally been dominated by white artists.

As a person of color, Nicholas has found a sense of belonging in Black Opry, an organization founded by Holly G to provide a space for Black artists to thrive in country music. Nicholas believes that representation is crucial, both in music and society as

“Our mission and what we do, just bringing artists together, creating space, getting to know each other and creating support systems. Autumn has been a really big part of all of that.” G said. film genre lyrics folklorico playlist studio sjsu dancer kpop radio song access music soundtrack awards mosh magazine culture

Nicholas’ music is hard to categorize, and that’s exactly how they like it. They considered transcending genres, like gender identities, the most difficult part of their career. Despite its challenges, Nicholas saw it as a way to push themselves to the next level and keep finding their individualism.

One of their favorite parts of making music is the writing process, where they can create something that resonates with others. Vulnerability and collaboration are key for Nicholas. They believe in committing to one topic and exploring it fully, even if it means pushing themselves out of their comfort zone.

“She’s able to help anyone craft a story,” Williams said.

Being able to take a song from its bones to perform it live, to witness how it resonates with others is the ultimate experience for Nicholas. The transfer of the songs’ ownership from the artists to the listener was extremely rewarding.

“The song is not mine anymore. Now it’s yours,” Nicholas said.

When asked where they see themselves musically in five years, Nicholas’ response was simple. Impact, not scale.

They’re not concerned with fame or fortune; they just want to make a difference. And with their ability to tell difficult stories and their unwavering commitment to representation, it’s clear that Nicholas is well on their way to doing just that.