We had the chance to chat with NYC-based indie electronic funk and multi-instrumentalist artist Nick Vivid. We talk about his latest music, including his single “Hush Money”, and his new album, No More Secrets, due out November 11, 2021.

Image credit: Geoff Hug

Check out what Nick had to say.

What can people expect with your upcoming No More Secrets album release?

NV: It’s the result of over 100 ideas and demos condensed into 30 minutes. I just kept hacking away at it until it told me it was done. The songs are straight to the point. I went with the old punk philosophy “Don’t bore us. Get to the chorus.” Maybe it was a result of the last year or so’s worth of tension in the world, but that kind of direct approach felt appropriate. I’m even pressing the vinyl edition at 45RPM because it *just* fits on both sides at that speed. It’s funky, recorded on old school analog gear, mixed to tape, and it’s got lots of feels. I went for feels over anything else.

What are the goals in mind when it comes to your music?

NV: Musically, I just want to create a vibe. Some will trigger a vision for a video. Some I can picture playing in different environments. For the song “Blackmail” from the new album, I pictured this one friend of mine sitting in the back of an Uber, heading uptown to Fordham on a gray rainy morning, listening to it on the car stereo while it was tuned in to NPR. No idea where that came from, but that was the setting I saw that song existing in. Another song, “We Can Ride”, feels like a crisp fall breeze while the leaves are falling off the trees and clouds are moving overhead at an accelerated speed. Lyrically, I try to make something that you can dig into and find different meanings in so I stick to my spiritual and philosophical principles and loosely relate them to real events from some point in my life.

What is your favorite song to perform live?

NV: On the last tour, my favorite song was “Slicey” from my second album Nicksploitation. But I am pretty sure something from No More Secrets will become my favorite to perform live on the next tour. I start show rehearsals next week so we’ll know soon enough.

Can you describe your creative process when you’re writing new music?

NV: Sometimes I wake up with a vision in my head, or mess around with samples and sounds and chords looking for something that triggers a vision. When I get an idea that I know is a little different or a little special, then I run with it. In those cases I usually hear a vocal melody and some kind of vowels and consonant sounds that go with them. In my head I’ll often hear the whole recording like it’s behind a blanket or in the next room – obscured. Most of my job involves bringing it into focus and giving that idea clarity. I figure the original inspiration is channeled from some greater force in the universe so I try to honor that.

What has been the best advice someone has given you about music?

NV: The old adage of “Never Give Up”. But there’s a little more to it than that, I think. Sure, it involves staying the course and being consistent. But there can’t be cracks in the foundation. If you’re in a creative situation you’re trying to force your will upon in order for it to keep going, then it’s probably not going to work.

Which musician would you like to collaborate with in the future?

NV: I gave a funny answer to this in my last interview, but the truth is, I follow some amazing beatmakers on Instagram – like some of the ones affiliated with Brooklyn’s Supply Chain Radio Crew. I like making my own beats, but I also get inspired by other people’s ideas and think I could do some cool stuff with them.

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Listen to Nick Vivid’s music on: Spotify|Apple Music|Soundcloud|Bandcamp

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