Nicolay (musician)

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Nicolay

Nicolay is a hip hop and R&B record producer from the Netherlands. He is one half of the group Foreign Exchange. Nicolay has worked extensively with the members of North Carolina's Justus League collective. His sound has often been compared to 9th Wonder's, although Nicolay tends to use live instruments as well as samples. Due to work, Nicolay now resides in the United States.

1 Biography
2 Discography
3 Okay Player : Now Hear This
4 External Links
5 See also

[edit] Biography

Born and raised in The Netherlands, Europe, Nicolay's passion for music has dominated his life for as long as he can remember. He was brought up with equal parts of Stevie Wonder and Neil Young, and as a youth, most of his days were spent listening to whatever music he could get his hands on. Nicolay’s early love for classical music drove him to seek a formal music education. A true multi-instrumentalist, Nicolay is proficient in playing piano and keyboards, guitar, bass and drums. Nicolay’s diverse understanding of music led him to play in several Hip-Hop and R&B bands, opening up for artists such as K-Ci & JoJo, Boyz II Men, MC Lyte and many others.

After being a live musician and bandleader for nearly a decade, Nicolay started producing in 2000, and shortly thereafter, came across Phonte Coleman of Little Brother through the Okayplayer message boards. The two soon began trading tracks and rhymes back and forth over instant messenger, which in turn created the b-side single for Little Brother's critically acclaimed 2003 album The Listening, titled 'Light It Up'. At the time, neither of them suspected that they were actually laying the foundation for what would become one of the most cohesive and innovative albums of 2004. Together they called themselves The Foreign Exchange, and appropriately titled the project 'Connected'.

In 2006, Nicolay has found himself busier than ever. Facing forward and preparing to leave his homeland, Nicolay presents his long anticipated debut album, 'Here'(June 2006) which creates a harmonous blend of goodbye and hello. Gearing up for his future move to the States, Nicolay takes this album on a musical journey; while traveling through St. Louis alongside Black Spade, to Pittsburgh via Wiz Khalifa, another stop in North Carolina, from the Foreign Exchange, Darien Brockington & YahZarah, right on down to Texas with Kay of The Foundation, and straight on through to L.A. and Sy Smith. Already destined to be a future classic, 'Here' is overflowing in great artistry and musicianship, songs and production.

There is a familiar place in our lives where today is the beginning, and right now is between everything and nothing. That place is 'Here'.