This is schocking. Shocking. Sultry, lovely Los Angeles chanteuse Nicole Simone is A GIGGLER. No, honestly. I’ve been listening to her debut EP Nicole Simone for months (and writing about it for months) and apparently I’ve been mishearing the lyric to the downbeat, saucy lullabye “You Got Me”. The chorus goes “you’ve got me, oh you’ve got me, you have -f—d me, how you’ve f—d, and how I waste away away from loving you.”
Except Nicole claims my quote isn’t accurate
“I didn’t say it!” she exclaims over the phone. “That is so funny. I wonder why you think I’m saying that.” And she giggles some more.
Nicole’s good nature is somewhat surprising in a woman whose songs she herself describes as “timeless songs about love and longing, melancholic” And since Nicole writes “Lyrics, melody and arrangements” herself, it would sure appear to be a projection of the person she is. “It’s difficult to explain….” I suggest we change medium, pushing a motion picture metaphor for the Hollywood honey (sorry Nicole, I got sick of typing your name) . “It would be like a David Lynch movie.” she claims. The movie comparison, “Mulholland Drive” comes to mind, is perfect for her so bright it’s blinding Cali songs noir.
Nicole is in her mid-20s and born and raised in L.A. and she takes movies seriously. “I went to an art school in my teens and movies, films, more than music, I grew up loving films. Everything fom 1920s silent movies thru the 40s to French cinema of the 60s to current film. It is just as important to me as music.”
“My parents ran a restaurant but I didn’t work there and didn’t listen to music there. My sister did work there.” SO you were a spoiled brat? I inquire and get another giggle for my efforts. “My parents listened to a lot of Frank Sinatra and his voice, his songs,,. I loved that. Their other music I didn’t connect with. But Frank Sinatra lead me to Billie Holiday.
“At school I saw ‘Elevator To the Gallows’ “
“That’s where I first heard Miles Davis… he wrote the score. . Louis Malle directed.
“The video for ‘Melt’ was based on Wim Winders movie ‘Paris, Texas'” though she mght have taken on “Wings Of Desire”! Checking my notes, I planned to ask her about deserts, cars, and being from cali… but I forgot. Simone is hoping for the opportunity of film and music videos may bring her.
Nicole was in New York last month and I missed her. “It was an amazing experience, the energy in the room was amazing. The band -we had members of Arcade Fire, Beirut, were so impressive, and really interesting musiciams. It was so interesting playing with a different band. I couldn’t bring my own band.’
Money is a pain. right?
“It’s very difficult. Making money in this business is very difficult. My friends who make money do it through song placement in movies and TV.” Another culture shock based upon the sprawling West Coast Hollywoodland where even life is in developement.
On Tuesday, Nicole’s EP release party happens in LA. Our Alyson Camus, who reviewed Nicole in concert earlier this month, will be there and will be reporting . The EP, a glorious, melancholic, jazz flicked, smooth lounge six song wonder, was released Match 9th but with her saxophonist off playing with Edward Sharpe And the Magnetic Zeroes, Nicole choose to wait it out. I mention the gypsy influence on songs such as “The Wedding Song”. “Sometimes I’m inspired by classic instruments,” Nicole explains. ” I love the mandolin, xylophone, banjo.”
And if she had lots of money for the first album, what would she do with it? “I would get the most beautiful, unusual instruments and make the most exciting and different sounds.”
Nicole will be playing around LA and Sanata Barbara this summer and back to New York in September where I intend NOT TO MISS HER..
” I hope people can take something from my music, something simpler…” Simpler but deeper than what they are used to, I’d say. Nicole doesn’t giggle this time.