We recently connected with Ebony Nicole and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Ebony , thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
The most meaningful project that I have worked on has been this second full length album that is set to be released 10-24-25. It is called “I’m a little blurry with romance” and I have been writing and recording this album the past two years and the decision to make this album was a difficult one. At the beginning of 2023 I was riding high on releasing my first Album ‘I’m fine’ (back in October of 2022) into the world and I was set on playing as many shows as possible to make sure that everyone heard my music. I realized quickly after graduating from James Madison University that May with my Early education degree that accepting a local teaching job would make my goal of playing shows a hard task to accomplish. I spent the school year playing locally in Harrisonburg, VA, Richmond, VA, and northern Virginia including Washington DC as much as I could. Playing out ended up being so difficult being a full time student/student teaching. So for the next two school years I played when I could and I was also writing a lot. I started recording a couple of songs January of 2024. From then every break from school, every day off and each time request went to spending time in the studio. I had a ton to say and all new ideas sonically on who I was and wanted to be as an artist. There are 13 wonderful tracks to be shared with the world. I worked alongside my producer/friend Taylor Bess and collaborated with a couple of local musician friends to create this really cool, intense and vibey album. I ended up finishing this album and then not signing my teaching contract for another year because this music, this project, is my heart on display and I think it deserves my full attention and time to reach and relate to whoever needs to hear it. This project has set me on a new journey in life and that is why it is so meaningful to me.
Ebony , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
So I am Ebony Nicole and I am a singer and songwriter based out of Harrisonburg, VA. I am originally from Tacoma Washington and I have lived all around the United States with my family. I started writing poems and short stories when i was about 8 years old. I would enter them into competitions and with each one i would work my way from honorable mentions to placing in State contest. When i was a bit older like around 15 I received a Christmas gift from my family of a Costco keyboard and I taught myself chords and started setting my poetry to melody. My true music journey in 2017 and through many music paths like choral singing, playing in a band and just writing poems to music. I have finally found my avenue in this music world. Being a songwriter has been an exploration of my entire being. I have set a goal to write music that connects and relates to people through melodies, lyrics and sonic sound. Whether it is a soulful ballad or an upbeat anthem I want my songs to help relate personal experiences while also hitting universal emotions. You will find themes of love, loss, disappointment and joy through out my music while also feeling the groove (maybe even dance). When creating a new song the thing I am most proud of is not feeling alone because someone else is also feeling, or going through what i might be describing. As someone who grew up being the new kid everywhere I went it is nice to tell my story, explain what i am feeling and then relating with a stranger in the same way. Having someone walk up to you after a performance and let you know that you said exactly what they were thinking is such an accomplishment in my book.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
One goal that drives me on this musical journey is being a black woman that makes indie folk pop music. I want to break genres with my sound and break barriers on what genre people might think I sing in just because of my skin color. It is important for me to be authentic to me and my sound and that doesn’t fit the stereotype most people have of me when just looking at me. This drives me to make music that comes from my entire being no matter what.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
A resource that I wish I knew about when first starting this music journey is friends. When I first started writing music and playing instruments I kept to myself and only sang in my actual closet of my bedroom. I wrote music without talking about it with others and tried learning difficult things on my own. I was so afraid of just being me and sharing who I was through my art that I kept it all bottled up. I remember doing my first open mic in highland park, NJ and I invited a couple of friends to come and I was shaking the whole time I performed but they were so encouraging and they celebrated with me and then set up other gigs for me and in that I knew that one of my greatest resources in this journey were the people closest to me believing in me and helping me connect to others outside my friend circle.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ebonynicolemusic.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ebonynicolemusic?igsh=MXZjY2xrN2lzeTg2NQ%3D%3D&ut-m_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ebbamusic
- Youtube: https;//www.youtube.com/@bookingebonymusic
- Other: Applemusic: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/ebony-nicole/1413158619
Nina Protocol: https://ninaprotocol.com/profiles/ebonynicole?ref=EwCulfonXdD2neLLajhMEwDTeALbh-HAugaANbULD2V7h
Image Credits
Photo 1: Heather Goodloe of grow and explore photography
Photo 2: Heather Goodloe of grow and explore photography
Photo 3: AlyssaFaith photography
Photo 4: Swanson song creative (Christina Swanson)
Photo5: Heather Goodloe of grow and explore photography
Photo6: Swanson song creative (Christina Swanson)
Photo 7: Heather Goodloe of grow and explore photography and Zach Brinson designs