nicky ros is the uniquely diverse multi-instrumentalist, Producer, and bilingual Songwriter, who gathers the touchstones of his Cuban and Argentinian roots with a connoisseur's ear in order to deliver the rambunctious cadence behind his Contemporary R&B and Latino amalgamating sonic productions.
On his latest escapades in the Music Industry, the budding artist pays homage to his heritage and diffuses his ethos of reminding Latino-Americans about their culture over his latest tantalizing title, "Orlando."
Over the salacious melodic testimonies of the exotic-sounding acoustic guitar, nicky ros pulls you in close for the beginnings of a buoyant fluttering glide through the punchy R&B low-end that supports the island-vibed serenades diffusing from our serenader's lips.
The main attraction here is the top-line and the enigmatic ad-libs that echo back into the void from which they evaporated into reality. Here, over the kaleidoscopic textures that nicky throws out into the multi-universe, Jeane Marie's timeless eloquence and quivering vocal harmonics collude and flourish over the expanses of the hook, "I'm obsessed with you taking that off, ima give the life that you want." The effervescent aural sensations don't stop there though; as you dive deeper into the monsoon of drippy vibes set on display, Zacc P's verse exhumes like the clandestine recordings you'd find from the underground corners of the Urban R&B fad coming out of Central Florida.
Overall, when you're in the fleshiest parts of nicky ros's "orlando," it's almost impossible not to get lost in the hip-swaying and knee-buckling dynamics that this banger deduces with every seamless transition from crooning hook to bustling stanza.
Looking back, the unrelenting tenacious energy that spills out from over verse and chorus of "orlando," shouldn't come as a surprise. nicky ros was born into music, and through the countless years of self-development and study he's placed behind his craft, it's no wonder this multi-talented songster is a house-hold name by now.
Hello nicky, thanks for catching up with us at BuzzMusic. What was the idea and narrative behind "orlando," and how did you manage to curate your collaborator's musical contributions throughout this playback with such cohesion?
“orlando” was inspired by the NBA bubble. I received the beat from an A&R at my record label La Flia Records. Tyas & Cnote both did their thing in creating the dark, sensual Latin trap vibe that I love. I wanted to make a song that had basketball influenced lyrics and would be relevant to the culture of the city of Orlando. The hook flowed easily and was finished in about 10 minutes. My sister Jeane Marie is from Orlando so her feature was inevitable and she absolutely bodied it. We spent a couple of days looking all over social media for a second Orlando artist and Zacc P was a perfect choice.
When you think back, what were the primary emotions you found yourself channeling into to produce the nonchalant vocal performance you captured on this record?
I originally had a much breathier take off the hook done, similar to that of a Bieber vocal. We sat on it for a few days and decided it needed more edge and “ride-along” energy; went back in and finished it in one take. The adlib and harmony layering that Jeane Marie & I did is my favorite part of the song. We created a lot of subtle movement through the second and third y choruses especially that keeps the listening experience fresh throughout.
What was your experience like working with Zacc P and Jeane Marie on this single, and what made you seek them out for a highlight on this track?
So much talent and drive. There are a few very important people in my life that inspire me to always push myself that extra mile. I truly believe Jeane Marie is one of the most underrated female vocalists with massive crossover potential. She’s so much fun to engineer too and is willing to receive constructive criticism and apply it free of ego. Stay tuned for her next single “Rowdy”, she’s about to take off. Zacc is a Florida gem. We’ve worked on several projects together now and he’s incredibly consistent with his talent and knowledge of what he wants things to sound like. I’m incredibly grateful that both of them are from Orlando and believed in the project enough to contribute.
Can you tell us about any milestones you've set out for yourself in 2020? What sorts of steps are you taking to get closer to achieving those goals?
I had a goal of reaching 25k monthly listeners. When “orlando” dropped, it was humbling how quickly we passed that mark. Then we passed 50k, then we passed 75k... finally we reached 100k monthly listeners. Something huge for me this year has been focusing all my energy on one song at a time and working on collaborations. Music has become exponentially collaborative through social media in the internet era, and I learned a lot from the Latin market that listeners almost expect to hear 3-4 different artists on a song. It’s cross-promotion and more horsepower that way.
What has been keeping you inspired this year?
All the fear and negativity in the world due to COVID. I believe it’s our job as artists to provide some reassurance and reminder of the “normal” world and continuing to provide not entertainment is an honor and responsibility. Also, I’ve been motivated a lot by seeing my mom again. I haven’t seen her since she moved back to her hometown of Argentina to be with my grandmother and I am doing everything in my power to get signed and buy a house here in the States for them to live in.