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Feb
10
2004
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Nio |
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Monday, 09 February 2004 |
 WHEN DID YOU FIRST DISCOVER YOUR SINGING / RAPPING ABILITIES?
I've always loved singing and as far back as I can remember, people always used to tell me I could sing, but I suppose I started taking it seriously when I was around 16. I've always had it in me to rap/MC as well from listening to rappers and MC's back in the day on the pirates etc. The music I listened to had such an influence on me that it was just a natural thing for me to do.
HOW DID YOUR ALBUM DEAL WITH ECHO RECORDS COME ABOUT?
There's a couple of different points where I could say things moved me closer to getting signed, but it didn't happen overnight and there wasn't just one big break. First off, I'd say it was when this guy Ronald Amanze took an interest in me. He would rent out a studio for me to write and record in and that put me on the right track and gave me something positive to focus on. When I got a manager things started materialising. He's had experience and he knew the $$$$ed up state the majors were in so he thought it would be good to sign to a big independent because that way I would get more creative control. He hooked up the Echo link. There was lots of other people wanting to sign me but Echo was definitely the right choice.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE?
I'd say my style is diverse because I don't just stick to one thing because I can appreciate a wide variety of music - it all influences me to do different things.
WHT INSPIRES YOU WHEN WRITING LYRICS?
When I'm writing I just chat about life experiences, things that have happened to me or things I can relate to, I get quite personal though because then I feel it more and I'm saying something real. I try and write about subjects that haven't been covered as well or if they have from a different perspective. Sometimes I feel to just chat $$$$, so I do!
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE BAD PUBLICITY ASSOCIATED WITH THE UK GARAGE SCENE, DO YOU THINK IT'S FAIR?
Its not really fair, you can't blame music for killings, the problem is deeper, in the individual because of a $$$$ed up life they've had or something. They shouldn't link the problem with the people that made the music, what about the people that made the guns!
WHO ARE YOUR IDOLS?
You know what, I idolise hard working real people, there's lots of artists I respect that seem to do everything, but people that survive and break through when all odds are against them! I respect them (I'm deep, you know).
YOUR DEBUT SINGLE ‘DO YOU THINK YOUR SPECIAL IS OUT - TELL US ABOUT IT.
I wrote it when I was about 16 as a demo about a real life experience. I wanted to update it to make it fit in with the other tracks I had recorded, to make it sound phatter so we did a new version which did come out PHAT! The original demo version is the BJ & Mike Soul mix. That track was the first track I had written working with proper producers, it helped me get my deal and I still felt it was a quality track so I wanted to include it on my album. When I wrote it, I was just in the mood to cuss so that was what came out.
8. WHAT WAS IT LIKE FILMING THE VIDEO?
The video is just real! We filmed it around my area, it just reflects real life. I won't say too much except that I directed the dialogue scenes and I'm pleased with the end result. It looks quality trust me, catch it on The Box (no 258) or Flaunt, all those stations are supporting it.
9. AS YOU ARE BOTH A SINGER + AN MC, DO YOU PREFER THE OLDER TRADITIONAL STYLE VOCAL UKG, OR THE NEW BREED DARK GRIMEY STUFF?
You know what, I love both styles, the old school style did used to bring more happy vibes which is why I think people are playing it more, but there's nothing like them grimey baselines, I do think the quality of the singers used to be better and the DJs should support their own more but it will never die like some people say, its just evolving.
10. HOW DO YOU SEE THE FUTURE OF UKG THEN?
Probably for more artists, and garage styles to be discovered and mixed with other music types, it will stay underground for a while but as longs as there's quality music and people like me still supporting it no one can stop it!
11. YOUR ALBUM IS CURRENTLY IN PRODUCTION- TELL US ABOUT IT.
Without trying to categorize it too much, I've done RnB/hiphop tracks, garage tracks, acoustic tracks, mixed up styles lyrically a lot of personal honesty from me about situations, but I've still go to be a bit more experimental, but you will get phat beats, grimey sounds, a lot of soul, real lyrics and a few different styles.
12. WHAT PRODUCERS HAVE YOU WORKED WITH ON IT?
I've been working in Denmark (Copenhagen) with some up and coming producers called Maximum Risk and The Copenhaniacs. I'm working with Sticky and I'm producing some of my own stuff as well, but there's more in the pipeline so we'll have to wait and see. I don't really have a favourite because they all give me different vibes.
13. HOW WOULD YOU IDEALLY LIKE TO WORK WITH GIVEN THE CHANCE?
I've always wanted to work with Timberland and Missy, to me they've proper influenced my sound, and are always on some new $$$$ which is what I'm on, making music different to what's already been done. I'd love to get someone like Mariah to sing a song I've written, that would be heavy!
14. WHERE CAN WE CATCH YOU PERFORMING LIVE?
I've been doing lots of PAs, under 18's shows, did a Butlins tour last year, Kiss Smooth Grooves tour, went on tour for about a month on a tour bus which was a joke, did some presenting in Ibiza & PopBeach on T4, bare shows, now I'm just promoting the single so I'll be all over the place.
15. WHAT DOES NIO LIKE TO DO IN HIS SPARE TIME?
Spare time? I don't get no spare time.... nah, not really, I'll just be chilling at home or with friends or injecting heroin, or stealing cars, stuff like that really. (JOKE!)
19. AS YOU ARE STILL QUITE YOUNG, ARE YOU READY FOR COMMERCIAL SUCCESS AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES WITH IT?
Well I'm now 19 and yeah, I've been through a lot, so whatever life throws at me I'm ready for, SO BRING IT ON!
THE SINGLE ‘DO YOU THINK YOUR SPECIAL' IS OUT NOW.
YOU CAN ALSO CATCH BEHIND THE SCENES OF NIO'S STINT SUPPORTING BLAZIN' SQUAD ON TOUR IN THE NEW ISSUE OF TENSE MAGAZINE.
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