Meet Nick de la Hoyde- Essentially Pop Interview

Interview by Juliet Barrable - Essentially Pop (Click HERE to see the full interview)

Nick de la Hoyde is a 20-year-old singer/songwriter/rapper from Sydney, Australia. His style combines hip hop, pop, soul, and R&B, as well as the spoken word – thereby defying genre. His lyrics read like entries in his personal diary, and throw up the pain and torment, as well as joy and hope that comes with youth, dreams and determination.

When he was 15 Nick moved to Barcelona, Spain, to pursue a football career. He stayed there for 4 years, and during this time started exploring hip-hop as a means to express the frustrations involved in following his football dreams. It soon became a burning passon, rather than simply an outlet, and he found he loved making music.

We’d like to thank Nick for taking the time to talk to us.

Your music has a very distinctive sound. How would you define it?

Hmmm good question, I would say my sound has elements of all the music I like to listen to myself and therefor is a mix of a number of genres and so can’t be boxed into one specific genre itself. If I had to label it, I would say it was alternative hip-hop/pop, but then in some cases it will have elements of RnB and soul.

You moved from Sydney to Barcelona when you were 14, that must have been a cultureshock? How do you feel the move influenced you, as a person, and as a writer?

It was definitely a culture shock for me but in the best way possible, I learnt so much and gained so many life experiences that I will never forget. Moving influenced me because I knew that I was on my own over there and I had to fight all my struggles on my own. The very reason I started writing was purely putting my emotions down on paper when I wasn’t having the best day.

You decided to give up the original dream of becoming a professional soccer player, in order to pursue a musical career. What inspired that decision and have you ever regretted it?

You know in your heart when something feels right, whenever I was around music I felt at home. Football I think was my pathway to finding my passion for music, to this day I haven’t regretted the decision I made because everything just feels right now.

We are really enjoying your debut single, “The Longest Way”. Can you tell us a bit about it? What inspired you to write it?

The Longest Way to me is a Journey, which is actually quite funny/ironic because I wrote it on a plane haha! It was written on the basis of following your heart and believing in yourself 100% because if you cant believe in yourself how can you expect others to…I want to be that example to people that you really can do anything if you set your mind to it.

The video that accompanies “The Longest Way” is beautifully scenic, where was it filmed?

The Video was filmed in Australia in different parts of country side around Canberra. We filmed it over the time space of about 3 days. We pretty much just drove and drove until we found some awesome places to shoot!

You are described as a singer/songwriter/rapper. Which do you see yourself as primarily?

I would say all of the above as they are all equally important to me as an artist. When I first started writing I would write raps purely for a journal that expressed the way I was feeling, but this led to writing melodies and harmonies to instrumentals I liked or that were written for me. I write all my own lyrical material and this is really important to me because I write about my feelings, my experiences, my past and my future and the people in my life. Rapping is my way of venting, it is so expressive and real, and I love melody so to be able to write my own material to the brand of music that inspires me and sing/rap it live to people that dig it is a dream come true.

Which artists inspire you the most? And who would we be most inspired to find in your iPod playlist?

I would have to say the two that stick out the most to me are Macklemore and Ed Sheeran. They both had huge struggles on the rise to becoming the big stars they are today, and everything they rap/sing about is real.

Away from the music, what do you do to relax? Tell us a little bit about what makes you tick.

When its time to relax I love watching movies and just chilling out. Im not a huge party animal, I’d probably chose a movie night over a nightclub most night’s haha.

We’re just at the start of a new year – what do you expect 2015 will bring?

I am really hoping this is a big year for me. I have been working really hard in the studio for some big releases this year that I hope will connect with people. At the end of the day, that is what we are all here for isn’t it, to connect with one another, and music gives me a chance to connect with millions of people all at once. I just want to make music that people love and want more of, so if I can do that this year and every other year after then I’ll be more than happy.