For our second Artist Spotlight episode of 2023, we’ll be chatting with talented Musician and Actor Nicholas Podany about his background, influences and inspiration for his work. Sefi and Nicholas have had a blast collaborating across multiple tracks via their work together on the SoundBetter platform.
Hi Nick, please tell us a little about yourself
Oh hey, Sefi, sure! I was born and raised in Los Angeles, moved to New York to go to Juilliard as an actor, went on to play Albus Potter in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway, and have been acting in mostly film & TV since (check out Hello Tomorrow! on Apple TV+ It rules). Other than all that, I’m desperately trying to keep my house plants alive and make a mean Butter Chicken Curry.
How long have you been creating music and where did your story begin?
I grew up watching the Tom Hanks movie “That Thing You Do” which follows an aspiring jazz drummer who winds up in a one-hit-wonder band called the “Oneders.” And that was it. I was three, and banged on every pot and pan I could find, trying to be a drummer. From there, I learned the piano and taught myself bass and guitar (with the help of my former-bassist mom, thanks mom). I was writing 3 albums a year by the time I was in 7th grade. All I wanted to do when I got home was open Garageband, and scream my little face off. Hell, that’s still all I want to do now.
Why do you write music and what inspires your creative process?
WHY do I write music?? Oh man. I write music cause I love it. Cause there’s no feeling like absolutely nailing a sound, turning your imagination inside out, and blasting it through your speakers. When the sounds in your head turn into real live airwaves. It’s the best feeling, so why wouldn’t I? In terms of inspiration, I always start with music first. I lean in, orchestrate my pieces to the nines, then sit back and ask “ok, what is this song about?” I listen to how it all interacts, and write the lyrics that the music is asking for. Or, at least, what I think the music is asking for.
Who/what are some of your key influences in music that have helped shape your sound?
Ah tons of folks. My aunt taught me how to use loops in Garageband in the first place, when I was around 11 or so. So she introduced me to the whole thing, I’d have to say her. But who am I listening to? All of childhood was Beatles. All of highschool was Led Zeppelin. Then came Radiohead, Nina Simone, Frank Ocean, Jack White, Kendrick Lamar, Bob Dylan, Father John Misty, Thundercat, Masayoshi Takanaka, Kamasi Washington, Oscar Peterson… anything and everything. Once I get stuck on a sound or a song, I’ll sit down to try to write something of my own, and wind up writing that song I love, over and over. It’s torture. But it’s the sign that I’m hearing something that’s gonna change my sound. That I’ve found a new inspiration.
What is your personal favourite project you’ve worked on and why?
Always the next one. Whenever I’ve finished a new song, I swear up and down it’s the best one I’ve ever made. And then I write the next one, and I swear THAT’S the one. But, let’s see… I wrote an entire score to a web series I made during lockdown in 2020. That was pretty epic. I adored doing that. It’s called Lucids, by the way, it’s on YouTube, and I’m still very proud of it.
What can we expect to hear from you in the future?
Once Hello Tomorrow is out, I’m gonna be releasing a ton of new music! “Little Voice,” “Goner,” “Cry Wolf,” “Pockets,” “I Just Can’t Get You Alone,” “Night Decay,” I’ve got so much waiting and ready to go! I could not be more proud of these projects, and I can’t wait for you to hear them. So keep an ear out, ok? Ok.
Check out links for Nicholas’s content below:
“24 Hours” music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KooNkniVzk
Live performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_IjXPBMV-0
Score created by Nicholas’s for his web series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYCr8kSDvzQ&t=121s
Nicholas’s web series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA2dhX0gKN8&list=PLK6Fc2NXlh5CWseXPBnsC1Ux3WPPu5zqK&index=2
Looking for professional production, mixing and mastering on your song? Get in touch with Sefi by clicking HERE.
Music Composition Playlist
