Nicole Simone's artistic journey is a captivating exploration of identity and expression. Born in Canada but raised in California with a vibrant Sicilian heritage, her music reflects a unique blend of influences. We had the chance to talk to her and delve into her background and how it shaped her artistic evolution. We'll trace her path from a teenage fascination with death metal to the creation of the captivating indie pop soundscapes she crafts today.
Specially, we will focus on her forthcoming single, "Past Life." Granted exclusive access to the song before its release, we'll explore the creative spark behind it, the inspiration for its lyrics, and the particular perspective it takes to convey a message of acceptance. In conclusion, we will explore past-life connections and the enduring power of human connection.
Can you discuss how your diverse background, including being born in Canada, raised in Southern California, and having a Sicilian heritage, has shaped and influenced your unique sound as an artist?
I feel like my upbringing has made me unexpectedly eclectic and a bit of an outlier. I was born in downtown Toronto, but I moved as a baby to California, so I didn’t know much about Canada until later on in my life. It actually came as a bit of a surprise as a kid to find out I was Canadian. Most of my Sicilian family lived in California, so I was very aware of being Italian American, Canada was very foreign and weird to me, but I ended up spending a lot of my life there. I even dressed as the mascot for a local hockey team at some point. I think being half-first-generation instills a wild sense of drive, you’re always on your toes in a weird way. Maybe it’s epigenetics and being from a long line of people on an island that was constantly invaded. But being Sicilian also means enjoying family, food, and culture, and they have a very sharp sense of humor and business sense. I wouldn’t trade being Sicilian for anything in the world, yet the irony is I’ve never been (yet).
Your beginnings in music were more aligned with death metal, but now you create these amazing indie pop songs. What made you take such a different path? Was this change something gradual, or was there a defining moment for you?
I was a teenager in my parents' basement, and a radio station called Edge 102 had a show with their music programmer, Alan Cross. He did a show on “rock snobs” and I had just seen “High Fidelity”. He talked about Nick Drake, Big Star, Jeff Buckley, and Elliott Smith, and all these “artist artists”. Something just clicked and I fell into this hole of very beautiful songwriting and I just fell in love with more melodic music and maybe my hormones balanced out too! I started working at a local record store not long after that with a lot of Gen X staff that introduced me to a whole world of music that commercial radio and streaming didn’t.
Thanks for the exclusive opportunity to listen to "Past Life" before its official release. It is such a beautiful song with a very distinctive sound. Would you walk us through the creative process behind the song?
I wrote the verse while walking one day, thinking of a guy I dated who just absolutely treated me like I was the devil now. I thought it was kind of funny and “Well maybe in a past life I was just his ex-wife and that’s why he hates me so much” because we didn’t date that long. A year later, I was in the studio with my producer, Billy Lefler. I knew I wanted to record the song, but I hadn’t written the verse. We were talking about a terrible dating experience I had had that fall and Lefler was explaining how guys work and how I probably meant nothing to that guy and I should stop trying. It was brutally honest and I was ready to burst into tears when he was like “Okay, let’s get started!”. I finished writing the verse on the spot, and we just recorded it all in one go. Lefler was right about the guy, by the way, so the honesty was not only helpful but also helped to produce a great track.
“Past Life” delves into the possibility of connections that transcend a lifespan. What inspired you to delve into this theme? Have you had any personal experiences that influenced the song?
I think the thing I loved most about being in my twenties is that I knew absolutely everything and the thing I hate most about being in my 30s is that I know absolutely nothing. I used to think past lives were made up, but I read a lot of Michael Newton and Carl Jung, which have made me rethink that maybe the past is not just a bridge to nowhere but a piece to a larger puzzle. I don’t think I’m the reincarnation of Cleopatra or anything, but I certainly think we cross paths with people in our lives where we feel like we’ve known them forever - there might be something more to that.
"Past Life" is a song about breaking up, but with a very different perspective. Can you elaborate on the message of acceptance and letting go that the song conveys?
I think, at least from a heteronormative female perspective, women are always the foundation of a relationship. There've been very few instances in dating where I didn’t feel like I was doing the majority of the work, perhaps that’s just the type of person I am or that I attract. When I wrote “tired of playing the sun”, I’m just tired of being the one to keep things moving and going. People stall out in relationships for all sorts of reasons, and I think in this song I just express absolute fatigue and surrender to those people. They can stall out their careers and their lives all they want, just leave me out of it, please. I truly feel like the majority of men are not in relationships right now because they don’t feel secure or good enough in their life, while women are experiencing the highest income and freedoms they’ve had in history. Men are in crisis.
Focusing on the lyrics, two elements were very intriguing to me. First, the lines, "If I knew the password / Then our lives might all merge". Can you explain the idea of a password in the context of a relationship?
I’ve used this metaphor before, but I feel like I’m always trying to figure out people. I think men and women always feel like we’re trying to decode each other rather than just be. I think the secret is realizing there are three people in a relationship, you, them, and the relationship. Both partners need to choose the relationship over themselves and more and more people seem incapable of doing that. I think everyone has felt “Oh, if I just do this then they will reciprocate” and people are just far more nuanced than silly passwords or bad advice from social media.
Something else that caught my attention was the final line, "Death of romance an easy sell." It is quite poignant. Do you see this as a commentary on modern relationships, or something more personal?
I think romance has befallen to capitalism through online dating and just the cost of living. Dating and relationships have become a luxury item. You hear women tote advice if a man doesn't take you to a five-star restaurant on a first date, then he’s trash. Then you hear men say that all women care about is status and money. Both are true if coming from really terrible narcissistic people. Real romance can come out of a long stroll through a grocery store on a Tuesday night or a simple cup of coffee. Anything can be romanticized, but everyone is sold this idea that status equals love, and that ain’t it.
"Past Life" explores dark themes, but you have mentioned finding beauty in these experiences. How do you find beauty in the middle of moments like these?
I think you find beauty in your own self-expression that comes from personal grievances like this. At this point in my life, I feel vilified by the men I’ve dated for holding them accountable for their bad behavior while owning up to my own disappointment in myself for letting any of it happen. You just tell your story in all the honesty you can, but I truly feel like a villain in this song, like you hate me before you’ve even given me a chance because you’re projecting all your past experiences on me - so I guess I’m just a product of that.
“Past Life” just made me eager to hear more from you. What do you want to do next? Is this single a part of any future project?
This single is a part of an EP. I’m always working on new music and film stuff, tying them all together. Art is art, and it’s important for me to keep putting things out into the universe.
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