Project Description

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Have you always wanted to be an artist? When did you get the song writing bug?
I definitely wanted to be a singer before I wanted to be an actor. I was singing in school musicals when I was a kid. It wasn’t until maybe year 9 in music class that I started writing songs. I was fourteen. They were more conceptual songs because I didn’t have much life experience to call upon at the time. I used to play the piano and accompany myself. I went to Newtown High School of the Performing Arts in year 11 and 12 and wrote quite a few songs when I was 16 and 17 years old. I remember being inspired by Nick Cave’s Murder Ballads album and wrote a song from a ghost’s perspective about her murder. I definitely wrote a few other angsty ballads with some simple piano chords back in the day. Then I got into acting school and focused on getting a degree. When I graduated I became the lead singer of a funk band called Modernists and starting to hone my songwriting skills. That era in my early twenties was when I really got the bug because I could write a song and in a few weeks we’d be performing it live and testing it on an audience. It was an important, developmental time for me being in the Modernists.

Briefly describe your journey to date.
Work-wise and creatively? I was a boy chorister in a choir when I was a kid. Went to a performing arts high school so got to really cut my teeth with brilliant teachers and learn from other students who had the same interests. Went to NIDA. Joined a funk band. Gigged tirelessly around Sydney for four years. Released my first album with the funk band. Got my first lead role in a drama series called The Cooks. Left the band to go on a world tour as Hi-5’s understudy. Struggled in a very racist entertainment industry. Moved to Mumbai to pursue a career in Bollywood. Ended up getting typecast as the villain and getting a lead in a major Bollywood blockbuster film. Moved to Los Angeles. Joined a funk band there. Gigged around Hollywood for two years. Moved back to Mumbai. Played Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar and Lumiere in Disney India’s Beauty and The Beast. Released the song I Spent My Rent On A Record which got airplay on VH1 and MTV Indies in India. Moved back to Sydney. Got cast as a regular Play School presenter. Joined the original cast of the Broadway musical Come From Away. Acting career starts to take off in TV and film. Released the italo disco inspired song Up And Coming. Collaborated with several DJ’s and producers to create several new dance songs. My creative and personal journey has been well documented in a chapter in the book Growing Up Indian In Australia and in ABC Conversations.

How would you describe your sound? Why do you think fans resonate with your music?
My sound these days would be nu-disco, electro, dance, house music. Hopefully because it makes people feel good, makes them want to dance, is a bit cheeky but if they scratch the surface they might find a deeper meaning.

Which artist’s music and/or performance, past or present, inspires you today? 
I recently saw Rufus Wainwright perform at the Opera House. He was breathtaking and his voice was better than ever. Saw Björk a few years ago at Perth Festival – always inspiring. I love seeing Olafur Arnalds live. I remember seeing him many years ago in LA before he was popular at a small venue – I love the way he blends classical music and pop music – neo classical music. In Australia I’m really inspired by Ngaire. Love seeing Electric Fields live and the way Zaachariaha Fielding conjures up magick onstage – calling upon his ancestors – so incredible. I was at Yabun Festival recently and adored the strength, bravery and unapologetic nature of Miss Kaninna’s set. Barkaa’s set was so honest and inspiring too. I love seeing black women shine on stage – speaking their truth and being applauded for it.

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Your latest single ‘STRANGE SHADOW’ has just been released! What’s it all about? Describe its origin and evolution. 
Strange Shadow is about embracing your shadow self, embracing the journey we sometimes need to take to reach a point of self acceptance. During these very strange times when queer folk are being demonised for being themselves – I’d love for my song to be a reminder that the opposite of freak is beautiful and that each of us have opposite forces within us. The song is about embracing your freak and declaring it as something beautiful. I’ve been wanting to make east meets west dance music for a long time now. I feel very lucky to have worked with Dave Winnel on the track. The song was originally a heavy fuck/rock song I wrote with my funk band in LA.  I re-wrote the lyrics, restructured the song and got Dave Winnel to work his electro magic on it. The Bollywood strings and the sitars are my favourite part of the song. Gives it that Toxic Britney Spears vibe – but much more Indian.

I read you will be releasing two remixes of this single from Synth Lord Luke Million and iconic Perth DJ Mind Electric. That’s exciting. When can we expect these?
They have already been released and are available on all music streaming platforms. Luke Million’s remix is very eighties, italo disco inspired – I love it so much. Mind Electric’s remix really gets the blood pumping and is is a hi-energy house track that has some very sexy 90s sounding keys. They are both so different. I’m very proud of them both and am stoked that Luke and Kristian agreed to collaborate with me.

Is there an EP or Album on the drawing board?
I’ve been working on an EP. Soon hopefully!

What tours and events are coming up? What are you looking forward to, and what can the fans expect?
I don’t have any live shows planned right now but am happy that the song and remixes have been played by DJ’s. Would love to hear them played in more clubs and dance parties. I’m looking forward to releasing new music soon. I have a nu-disco feel good song on the way.

If you could perform with any music artist, Alive or Dead, who would you choose? And why? 
I’d love to work with Pnau – love their music. Their collab with Khalid is pop perfection. Would love to write and sing a dance track with them like that. I’m obsessed with Norwegian singer Metteson at the moment – we have a similar background in the theatre – would be super cool to come up with a song together.  Ravi Shankar – would love to make some more Indian fusion pop music with him. I’m loving seeing South Asian Aussie singers like Ashwarya and Ayesha Madon smash it out of the ball park. Would be super cool to work with them – niece and uncle style. I really admire local singer Brendan Maclean. He lives very close to me and I’m kinda fantasising about singing a big queer power ballad with him after seeing him perform Especially For You at a Mardi Gras Loose Ends party. There are so many brilliant DJ’s and producers I’d love to work with – Stereogamous are such a huge party of the Sydney music scene – would be super cool to do something with them.

What are your long-term aspirations as a music artist and how are you progressing towards them? 
If my songs connect with people in a big or small way – then I’m happy. I’d obviously love to hear them on the radio. Would be pretty cool if they were attached to a major advertising campaign or in a major TV show or film. I’d also love to write songs and lyrics for other people.

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With that in mind, what piece of advice would you give to an artist starting out? 
Follow your gut. Work out what you’re most afraid of and write/sing about that.

What is the best thing about performing to a live audience? What’s been the career highlight so far?
Jamming with the band for sure. It’s such a buzz. And of course – the audience. I performed a few dance tracks as part of the Sydney World Pride Festival which was pretty damn cool. Back in the day my funk band performed quite often at The Basement – those live shows have always stayed with me.

Here are a couple of general questions your fans will find interesting about you:
What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done? Moved to India on a whim.
What is the thing you like most about yourself? My pretty feet and my above average whistling skills.

Finally, just a few questions for some quick answers –
FAVOURITE:
Album – Want Two by Rufus Wainwright
Artist –  Metteson
Movie – Endless Poetry by Jodorowsky
Place to visit – Goa
Venue to play –  The Basement
Food –  Indian
Drink –  IPA Beer
Person in History –  Pemulway
Tattoo – (If you don’t have one, what would you get?)  I don’t have one but if I did it would probably be of Shiva dancing (Nataraj) or of the deity Ardhanarishvara.

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Follow NICHOLAS BROWN
Instagram – Spotify

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Press Release 28th February 2025 (below) HERE

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AMNPLIFY – DB