Image: Supplied.
Sydney songwriter and producer Nick Ward has given fans their first glimpse into his upcoming project with his new track, I Wanna Be Myself Or Nothing At All. The song also marks the singers first release since signing with Hunnydew Records.
Featuring New Zealand artist Lontalius, the song was written, produced and mixed by Ward. The track navigates the singers own journey with his identity and sexuality, written years ago whilst he was attending an all-boys school. On the track, the musician takes his signature brand of bedroom-pop sounds, elevating the sonic soundscape into a cinematic atmosphere that allows for a vulnerable vocal performance and lyricism. “The lyrics have been floating around on my phone for a couple years, but the production and arrangement has taken many different forms.” Ward shares of the creation of the song. “I really love blending production elements from different genres, and I see this song as a blend of boom-bap drums, baroque-style choral arrangements and folk elements.”
Since the age of five, Ward has evolved into a well-rounded multi-instrumentalist, mastering classical piano, the guitar, double bass and drums. When he was 11, he began experimenting with production, using his mothers computer to create his own tracks on GarageBand. Not long after, Ward began toying with lo-fi hip hop beats, playing around with vocal lines and the structure of his songs. In 2018, he released his debut single, Crush.
After a string of single releases, Ward found himself on tour with New Zealand indie pop sensation BENEE. After more performances on tour with with local artists Tora and JOY, Ward was named a Triple J Unearthed High finalist in 2019. Not only just a talented musician, Ward is passionate about filmmaking, directing all his own visuals as well as a bi-monthly series on YouTube. His work explores masculinity and identity, and in 2017 Ward took home a win at Tropfest Junior with his short film, Boys Don’t Cry.
I Wanna Be Myself Or Nothing At All is out now! Watch the music video when it premieres later today, below.
Comments