Send in the Clowns: NiCKY’s Piano Day Mixtape

Intended as a theatrical suite, bookended by the symbolic rise and fall of the stage curtain, ‘by’ is imbued with an intimate, dramatic sense of atmosphere, bringing to mind some hallowed nightclub headliner, all sparkling sequins by candlelight. There are lively, irreverent detours but mostly NiCKY crafts songs of tenderness; serenades in the spotlight which evoke ‘Closing Time’ era Tom Waits if he frequented the Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club instead of dive bars in 70s LA.

For all the vivid pageantry, NiCKY’s songs recount everyday stories with lots of heart, humour and sensitivity, encompassing “road journeys, love affairs, surreal encounters & lost connections”. Their cover of the Sandy Denny / Fairport Convention original ‘Who Knows Where The Time Goes’ is also the best we’ve heard.

Following the release of ‘by’ and ahead of some mooted remixes and prospective plans to play End of the Road and Glastonbury, we reached out to NiCKY for a mixtape. Appropriately enough, NiCKY responded with just over an hour of music in honour of Piano Day, celebrating some eternal moments of piano-led prowess, from the virtuosities of Nina Simone and Bill Evans to the serenities of Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru and Duval Timothy to the high camp of Liberace and beyond.

Listen to the mixtape and find out more about NiCKY in the illuminating interview below.

Please introduce yourself…Who are you, where are you, and what are you?

* Hiya I’m NiCKY! I’m a composer, singer, musician + clown. I’ve just released my debut EP ‘by’ with PRAH Recordings.

How’s your day been? What have you been up to?

* Busy! I rehearsed 3 songs with drag legend Lavinia Coop this morning. I’ll accompany Lav tomorrow night in their interview with Lauren John Joseph, at the Retro Bar in the West End for a live radio takeover. I also taught piano: one of my students is learning Bach, another the Star Wars theme tune.

When did you first start making music? What were some of your formative inspirations?

* I’ve always fixed my own arrangements.. I’ve accompanied singers for years where I’ve had to throw together a piano version of a track just before a show. It wasn’t until lockdown I had the time to consider my own songs + experimented with recording. Formative inspirations: stories collected in the circus, as an artist model, as a courier driver + gigging; + artists I’ve been lucky enough to be surrounded by. Prince’s Piano + a microphone was on a lot when I was conceiving my debut EP ‘by’ though.

What was the first piece of piano music you heard and how did it make you feel?

* I can’t really remember the first piece of piano music I heard. One that sticks out is The Way It Is by Bruce Hornsby and The Range. Nanna Elton was also a staple.

What was the last piece of piano music you loved?

* A recording of Billy Tipton playing Begin the Beguine.

Who are your favourite pianists?

* I don’t think there’s anyone quite like Nina Simone.

If you could go back in time and play with any pianist from throughout history, who would it be and why?

* For the show, I’d love to play piano with Liberace as we’d probably do something on a revolving stage or on wheels; for the music, I’d love to play with Chopin; his pieces have the longing…

If money was no object, what would be your ideal piano?

* I feel like I should say a baby grand or a Steinway; I love a piano with history and a story.. one from a music studio, or one that’s been in a pub for 100 years.

How would you describe the world of NiCKY?

* Clumsy, eloquent, confusing, tender, chaotic, calm, funny, melancholic, camp, + busy!

Your aesthetic is inspired by the circus and by East London’s queer performance scene, what drew you to the circus and to these styles of performance?

* After art school, the logical thing to do was to go to circus school + end up touring with a bunch of clowns. I performed + did music in refugee camps throughout the European crisis. Then, I found myself back in London after years on the road, co-running a regular cabaret called performanceClub throughout the city. I think drag artist Sharon Le Grande + I were doing a gig at Vout-O-Reenees one night + I put so much clown face on, like a thick painting. NiCKY kind of continued to evolve over the next few years.

Do you have a favourite circus act?

* Any aerial act; there’s something godlike about seeing people flying.

Who are some of your favourite drag artists and queer performers, past and current?

* I’m a bit biased! Some of my fav drag performers are those I’ve been lucky enough to work with, Sharon Le Grande, Midgitte Bardot, A Man To Pet. In terms of fav queer performers from the past, I wish I could have seen Sylvester. I’ve got a ticket to Anohni’s show at the Barbican in the summer which I can’t wait for. David Hoyle is another fav. Seeing her is like going to church, or what I imagine that’s like.

What were some of the personal highlights of recording your debut EP?

* Getting the recordings back that first time, or a take in one .. though making my debut single’s video ‘Who Knows Where The Time Goes’ has to be up there too.

Where was your mixtape recorded? What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mixtape? What should we be wearing?

* I recorded the mixtape at home in South London. I started in the morning, + finished it at night – so listen to it when you like, + wear what you like – this ain’t no dictatorship!

What were the first and last records you bought?

* first FIRST record, the Hamster Song? Maybe last was the Sylvester Private Recordings album on Dark Entries Records.

What’s your favourite venue?

* I love the Retro Bar!

Where do you go to escape?

* I used to escape the city in my bright green campervan + go to the coast, but she’s got some serious rust problems so I’m a bit stuck at the moment. I need a welder to help me escape.. any takers?

A book you’d recommend to anyone and everyone?

* Cher’s ’The First Time’.

What is Dive Lounge?

* Dive Lounge is a semi regular radio show I host + programme on Montez Press, where I invite queer musicians, performers and live artists to perform an acoustic set of songs + cover versions, + have a chat.. I loved Radio 1 Live Lounge as a kid, but looking back it was mostly straight indie bands taking up the space. Dive Lounge is about highlighting the queer cabaret roots the Live Lounge format draws on.

Who would be your dream guest / headliner on Dive Lounge?

* For the music, Victoria Beckham singing ‘you’re out of your mind’, but if it could be anyone, Tina, or Iggy; wait maybe Grace Jones!

What would you be if you weren’t a musician?

* I think I’d be an ambulance driver, I still consider it sometimes.

Upcoming in the world of NiCKY?

* I’ve got a bit of a tour shaping up, starting with FairPlay Festival in Manchester at the beginning of April – watch this space.. I’ve also got to drive a box back from Poland the second week of April so I might do a show there too?! Turbo Tracy, one of the tracks on my EP has a couple of fab remixes by Billy Jack + Superdrama being released soon. Also v excited to be playing at End Of The Road Festival in September. Maybe you’ll see me at Glastonbury?!

NiCKY’s debut EP ‘by’ is out now on PRAH Recordings