We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nico Rockss a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Nico, thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

My name is Nicolas Calero AKA Nico Rocks. Born and raised in New York City , I inherited love for dance and music from my parents. My Dad is from a small town in Puerto Rico, called Aguadilla. Every Holiday we would take a trip to Puerto Rico, where the whole family would come together to celebrate with live music and fierce dancing. I especially enjoyed those crazy parrangas. That’s where I got my love for drums and Caribbean rhythms. Another big source of inspiration for me growing up was Michael Jackson. I discovered his music and dancing when I was around 6 years old . I performed his songs for my family any chance I would get. I guess that’s when my parents realized that being a performer is my path.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

While working on my vocals and dancing, I became an actor in NYC at the age 8. By the time I turned 10 years old, I had multiple movies, TV shows and commercials on my resume. The most memorable projects include starring role in “Law and Order, SVU” Season 23.Ep11, acting against America Ferreira in the movie “Dumb Money” and “Fresh Direct ” commercial that was shown during the Super Bowl 2022!
I absolutely love acting, but singing and dancing were always a big part of my live. So when Menudo invited me to join the group, I didn’t think twice! Did I mention that my Dad is from Puerto Rico?:) I grew up listening to old Menudo songs. Miami became my second home, full of music, colors and delicious foods. It’s been two years, since my move. Being a part of the New Menudo helped me grow as a person and develop as an artist. I found my style, discovered my song writing skills and met a lot of mind like people along the way. While in Menudo, I got to perform at the biggest stages such as “I HEART FIESTA LATINA”, “Premios Monitor” and more, but the highlight for me was our participation in “America”s Got Talent” Season 19. Absolutely wild experience! Meeting all the talented contestants and the judges and performing for millions of people on National TV! Can’t top that! Going to cherish those memories for the rest of my life! Learned so much about myself along the way and made wonderful friends.
Looking forward to the future and what it holds, while focusing on my carrier one song at the time.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I always knew, that I wanted to be an artist. I realized early on that art has a power to connect people. I love, that I can make people happy, make them think or make them feel. I love that I can share my life story with people through my music. The best part of being an artist is seeing your fans respond to your creations, watching them sing along and dance with you.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I think art and creativity are essential in the kids upbringing and in our lives in general. It definitely shaped me as a person I am today. Ideally every kid should be able to create, to study some type of art and have hands on experience. It would be amazing, if every school was able to offer Dance Recess, or Painting Mornings, or Musical breaks in-between classes. School can be challenging, work place can be stressful. Arts and music can elevate your mood, bring happy distraction into your daily routine and simply brighten your day.
The world would be a better place, if we all just sang. Even if it’s only in the shower:) So grab a pain brush, belt out some crazy tune or break out in dancing, like nobody is watching!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.menudo.com/
• Instagram: @nico.menudo
• Youtube: @nico.rockss