Member Spotlight | Nico James
Nico James
by Dorothy Kamm
While many preschoolers strum toy guitars as though they’re playing to an audience, Nico James’s parents noticed something special in his performance. To encourage his musical talent, they gave him an acoustic guitar when he was five years old. A mere two years later, they presented him with a valuable, top-of-the-line electric guitar. Nico’s dad, who was in a local rock band as a part-time endeavor, taught him to play.
“After school, I would practice three to five hours, playing around with chords and chord combinations,” says Nico. “My dad taught me all that he knew, but his knowledge was limited. I wanted to learn music theory, read music, and learn scales and complex chord progressions, so I began taking guitar lessons in middle school.”
It was his dad who suggested he sing as well as play guitar, though at first Nico was resistant. His dad was persistent, recommending that he learn to sing and play at least five songs. Though Nico never had a singing lesson, he did as his dad advised.
To further Nico’s musical development, his dad put an ad in the local newspaper seeking other teens to form a band. Within a year, they had a full band with a drummer, rhythm guitarist, and a bass player. While their first show was a cousin’s graduation, they progressed to gigs at private parties and sports bars.
Along the way, Nico also participated on American Idol and America’s Got Talent. He had some success with those shows, but taking that pathway wasn’t appealing to him.
After high school graduation, Nico was not yet ready to go all in to pursue a music career. He started working in the same field as his dad, which was automotive. “Music is an expensive endeavor. My various jobs in the automotive industry helped pay for instruments and studio recording time,” explains Nico.
When the pandemic hit, Nico was laid off. He thought it would be temporary, but after six months he realized that his unemployment might drag on. He decided he needed a change of location from his hometown of Oxford, Michigan, and a change of pace. Nico had family in Jupiter and was familiar with Florida. He found the perfect home and moved to Port St. Lucie in March 2021. “I took a chance coming here. I knew there was opportunity, but I didn’t know how fast I could build a career as a musician,” says Nico.
He checked the Port St. Lucie tag on Instagram and found the St. Lucie Cultural Alliance. Nico called the Cultural Alliance, a connection was made, and a partnership was created, resulting in bookings at various Cultural Alliance events, including the inaugural exhibition of Celebrating Us at the St. Lucie County Administration Building, Season Opening reception at MidFlorida Event Center, and Young Heart to Arts at Heathcote and Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens.
Concurrently, Nico also familiarized himself with the local music scene. He introduced himself to bar managers and booked gigs.
While playing acoustic guitar and singing has been his mainstay, he plays and records other types of music as well. His original songs incorporate hip hop/rap and rock, creating a sound unlike other musicians’. “I don’t want to be identified with a particular genre,” says Nico. “I am an independent musician and songwriter. I write lyrics based upon what I’m feeling at the time. This will influence what style of music I choose to best portray those feelings,” he explains.
Nico has 10 songs that can be heard on Spotify, Apple, iTunes, and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/c/NicoJames/videos). Ultimately, Nico wants to perform throughout Florida, eventually going national. But he hesitates to sign with a major record label. He prefers to remain an independent musician, retaining all rights to his creations.
“Music is a form of entertainment, but you can have a spiritual connection with it,” says Nico. “The younger you are when you are introduced to music, the better, because it’s like learning a second language. By the time you’re a teenager, you are fluent.”
The Cultural Alliance recently launched its Music Guild and is inviting musicians to join. A Music Guild Mixer is scheduled for Monday, June 25, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Alliance Gallery on Orange Avenue in downtown Fort Pierce. Register at https://artstlucie.org/event/music-guild-mixer.
Additionally, the Cultural Alliance is thrilled to announce a new benefit to the music community in St. Lucie County. It will be offering a free listing of all county musicians to be promoted to local businesses for corporate parties, event venues, bars and restaurants, and private events. Click on the GET LISTED to fill out the form. GET LISTED
To learn more about the St. Lucie Cultural Alliance and the benefits of membership, please visit ArtStLucie.org, email: info@artstlucie.org or call 772-462-2783.