Nicolette
Encyclopedia
Nicolette is a UK
singer-songwriter
of Nigeria
n parentage. Living in London
, she was born 1964 in Glasgow
, Scotland
, and has lived in Nigeria, Switzerland
, France
, and Belgium
. Her music, although falling broadly into the field of electronica
, is characterised by many influences, including, jazz
, classical, blues
, folk
, and African. This has resulted in a highly individualistic sound due in part to the diverse variety of music her father played and taught her as a child. Known for her distinctive sensual, childlike voice, she has been described as "Billie Holliday on acid
".
She has released three solo albums, as well as a DJ
mix album for the DJ-Kicks
series, and featured on "Three" and "Sly", two songs on Massive Attack
's 1994 Protection
album. She has worked with many other collaborators in the electronic music field, including Plaid
, Alec Empire
, and 4 Hero
. In 1999 she set up her own record label, Early Records, upon leaving Talkin’ Loud to release quirky pop
anthems. According to Nicolette, Early Records' music policy is: "innovative pop music." Nicolette's 2005 album, Life Loves Us, was released through the label.
In 2007 Nicolette's "No Government" was re-released and remixed by DJ Tocadisco
and Makossa & Megablast.
In 2008 Nicolette contributed vocals to John Tejada's album "Where", she sings and co-wrote the track "Desire".
Nicolette has released a new single called "Love" with DJ Cam in March 2010.
Her fourth studio album is almost complete and a release is expected in 2012.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n parentage. Living in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, she was born 1964 in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and has lived in Nigeria, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. Her music, although falling broadly into the field of electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
, is characterised by many influences, including, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, classical, blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, and African. This has resulted in a highly individualistic sound due in part to the diverse variety of music her father played and taught her as a child. Known for her distinctive sensual, childlike voice, she has been described as "Billie Holliday on acid
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
".
She has released three solo albums, as well as a DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
mix album for the DJ-Kicks
DJ-Kicks
DJ-Kicks is a series of DJ mix albums, mixed by various artists for the independent record label !K7 Records.-History:...
series, and featured on "Three" and "Sly", two songs on Massive Attack
Massive Attack
Massive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
's 1994 Protection
Protection (album)
-Sound:Protection was featured in the top ten of Rolling Stone magazine's 'Coolest Albums of All Time List,' calling it "great music for when you're driving around a city at 4 am," due to the 'chill out' nature of the album...
album. She has worked with many other collaborators in the electronic music field, including Plaid
Plaid (band)
Plaid is a London-based British electronic music duo comprising Andy Turner and Ed Handley. They are former members of The Black Dog and used many other names, such as Atypic and Balil , before settling on Plaid...
, Alec Empire
Alec Empire
Alec Empire is a German musician who is best known as a founding member of the band Atari Teenage Riot. Also a prolific and distinguished solo artist, producer and DJ, he has released well over a hundred albums, EPs and singles and remixed over seventy tracks for various artists including Björk...
, and 4 Hero
4 Hero
4hero are an electronic music band from Dollis Hill, northwest London, comprising producers Mark "Marc Mac" Clair & Dennis "Dego" McFarlane. While the band is often cited as "4 Hero" or "4-Hero", the name is presented as "4hero" on their own albums and websites.4hero are known as early pioneers of...
. In 1999 she set up her own record label, Early Records, upon leaving Talkin’ Loud to release quirky pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
anthems. According to Nicolette, Early Records' music policy is: "innovative pop music." Nicolette's 2005 album, Life Loves Us, was released through the label.
In 2007 Nicolette's "No Government" was re-released and remixed by DJ Tocadisco
DJ Tocadisco
-Biography:Tocadisco was born Roman Böer on 8 June 1974, and grew up in a small city near Cologne, Germany. He plays several instruments and played in different bands in his youth....
and Makossa & Megablast.
In 2008 Nicolette contributed vocals to John Tejada's album "Where", she sings and co-wrote the track "Desire".
Nicolette has released a new single called "Love" with DJ Cam in March 2010.
Her fourth studio album is almost complete and a release is expected in 2012.
Albums
- Now is EarlyNow Is EarlyNow Is Early is a 1992 album by Nicolette. The song "Waking Up" samples "Velas" by Quincy Jones, from the album The Dude.-Track listing:# "No Government" – 2:02# "Dove Song" – 4:55# "Single Minded Vocal" – 3:09# "I Woke Up" – 4:46...
(1992) - Let No One Live Rent Free in Your Head (1996)
- DJ-KicksDJ-Kicks: NicoletteDJ-Kicks: Nicolette is a DJ mix album, mixed by Nicolette. It was released on 10 March 1997 on the Studio !K7 independent record label as part of the DJ-Kicks series.*CD Cat number: !K7054CD*Vinyl Cat number: !K7054LP-Disc one:...
(1997) - Life Loves Us (2005)
- New Studio LP TBA (2012)
Non album tracks
- "I'm Raving" (with L.A. StyleL.A. StyleL.A. Style was a Dutch electronic dance music duo, founded and produced by radio host Wessel van Diepen, who also created Nakatomi and the very successful Vengaboys, also produced by Fonny de Wulf, Michiel van der Kuiy [aka Denzil Slamming] & FX.The group was fronted by Rapper/Singer/Songwriter &...
) 1993 - "Sly" (with Massive AttackMassive AttackMassive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
) 1994 - "Three" (with Massive Attack) 1994
- "Extork" (with PlaidPlaid (band)Plaid is a London-based British electronic music duo comprising Andy Turner and Ed Handley. They are former members of The Black Dog and used many other names, such as Atypic and Balil , before settling on Plaid...
) 1997 - "Contradictions" (with Bang GangBang GangBang Gang is a melodic pop band from Iceland founded by songwriter/producer Bardi Johannsson . The band was formed in 1996, in Johannsson’s hometown of Reykjavik...
) 2003 - "So Loud" (with Phui) 2007
- "Communication" (with Filewile) 2007
- "Desire" (with John Tejada) 2008
- "Love" (with DJ Cam) 2010
- "Birthday" (with TJ Kong and Nuno dos Santos) 2010
- "Something Happened" (with TJ Kong and Nuno dos Santos) 2010