5 minute read
NICOLE JOY: 'A Cure For Heart Trouble'
A CURE FOR HEART TROUBLE
INTERVIEW BY OLIVIA WALLS
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When it comes to music, Nicole Joy is no newbie. While listening to her newly released EP, you’ll find that there is a story behind the melody. There is an intertwining of poetry with real life experiences that deeply influence her writing. In our interview, we discuss what growing up in a musical family is like, her inspiration for “ACFHT”, and what we can be on the lookout from her in 2021.
I’d love to start off by talking about your earlier days. You grew up in a very musical family, how much of that has influenced who you are today?
I grew up in an extremely musical family, yes! Not only are my parents musical but their parents and their parents’ parents are musical as well. All of my aunts/uncles/cousins sing or play some sort of instrument, so I couldn’t escape music if I tried! Growing up, my parents made sure we either learned how to sing, or learned how to play some sort of instrument. Thankfully my siblings and I all learned how to do both and I am so, so grateful for that!
You’ve posted on social media about your journey with fear in regards to fully pursuing your dreams and allowing your gifting to grow.
How were you able to overcome those fears? What did you learn about yourself during that time?
I love this question! If I’m being super honest I still kinda feel like I’m learning a lot about myself in this area even now. Even though I grew up in a musical family, I always hated when anyone asked me to sing in front of a crowd, even if it was just 2 or 3 people. I also never really considered myself a songwriter until recently (I still struggle with this thought as well). My sister started writing songs at 10 while it took me until I was 17 to write my first song. And it was crap.
I would write here and there but I really wanted to take my time and learn about songwriting before I tried to force anything else. Over the last 2 years though, songs began coming out of nowhere and it got to a point to where I felt like I was being disobedient by not releasing them.
After working on my first single with my producer, William Garcia, he encouraged me to show him other songs I had [written]. Honestly, if it wasn’t for him and his encouragement I 100% would not have released an entire EP this year.
Overall, I learned how important it is to have someone that isn’t a family member listen to your songs and tell you they’re good enough to release. The process of showing these songs to a producer that I had just met was terrifying but so rewarding once it was all said and done. So, I’m learning to lean into those scary moments rather than run from them.
Before releasing your EP, you released your single, ‘A Cure For Heart Trouble’. What was the inspiration for that song?
Simply put, “A Cure for Heart Trouble” is literally my life story in a song. When I was 15, depression swept over me out of nowhere; I literally had never experienced anything like that before. There were moments here and there as a kid where I would feel slightly anxious, but this was hopelessness on a level I didn’t know existed. Since then, through the help of relationships and community, I’ve been able to overcome things I never thought possible. In that season of my life I promised I would fight everyday if that’s what it would take to overcome it. My breakthrough didn’t happen overnight, and even now I have to be careful to not to let my mind go back to certain places. This song is a reminder to myself and to others going through the same thing to keep fighting, even if it feels like you’re fighting hell.
As I’ve listened to each song on your EP, also titled “A Cure For Heart Trouble”, I can sense that your songwriting comes from a very personal and authentic place.
With this being your first EP, what message are you wanting your listeners to hear?
I just want listeners to hear these songs and feel understood. With all the craziness that happened in 2020, my prayer has been that this EP can bring some kind of hope to whatever people are experiencing. I want them to hear pain and vulnerability, but also hope and life.
I had no intention of titling this EP “A Cure for Heart Trouble”, but by the end of it I realized that’s exactly what I want it to be. This EP may not be “the” cure, but it can offer some kind of cure for whatever you’re going through—whether it’s a battle of trying to control everything, trying to run or hide from something, or maybe feeling numb after everything that’s taken place this past year.
Please elaborate on your creative process while producing music. What keeps you inspired as an artist?
Honestly, my creative process looks completely different for each song! My favorite songs are ones that come out of nowhere. Those are the most exciting to work on because they almost feel as if I didn’t write them. I typically have some type of vision when sending it over to my producer, but it’s more fun to work on it together and see how it unfolds.
There are days where I’m super unmotivated and I swear I’ll never write a song ever again, and the next day I’ll write an entire song out of nowhere. I’ve also learned that life is the only thing you really need to inspire you. The more that I go through the more I have to write about. Most times, patience is key.
What can we anticipate from Nicole Joy in 2021? What kind of topics are you wanting to explore in your music?
So, I am actually so stoked for this year because I already have stuff in the works as we speak! The songs we’re working on shed light on pain and joy in ways I’ve never really explored before. These songs are probably the most vulnerable songs I’ve ever written—which actually makes me more excited to release them. As a consumer of music, I always love finding artists that aren’t afraid to be real with their listeners. I’m hoping I can do that for future listeners as well. Follow along @nicolejoy___
