“Well, because I make music in so many different genres, I’m consistently trying to outdo myself and do something that people wouldn’t expect from me”, says Nick Nittoli, a diverse and experienced artist who has worked with famous names such as Snoop Dogg, French Montana, YG and Zendaya.
Nick Nittoli is based in Los Angeles, California, and has been a part of the music industry for ten years. He describes himself as a songwriter, producer/artist. This talented man differs from other artists with his creative versatility and his no-fear approach to experimenting with the fusion of various genres such as R&B, Pop, Hip Hop, Rock or even Country Music. “I would say my music is very eclectic. It’s multi-genre like it switches out. I would say it’s not boring”, Nittoli tells me. “Because whether you like country, R&B, Pop, EDM, Hip Hop, I have something for you in my catalogue that can pertain to your likes.”
Recently, Nick Nittoli was acknowledged by media outlets, including Billboard, Yahoo Life, Pitchfork, BUZZMUSIC, and many more (including The Curve). These accolades do not intimidate the artist though, as Nittoli believes that he deserves all of the recognition. “For me, I’m like a wild story that, I think, deserves coverage”, he tells me. “So for me, when I get that coverage from any sort of media outlet, I’m like: “I’m deserving of this.” This feels great.”
“For me, I’m like a wild story that, I think, deserves coverage”
– Nick Nittoli
Nittoli’s path towards success began in 2011 when he participated and placed fourth in Bravo TV’s reality show “Platinum Hit”, where aspiring singer-songwriters worked with industry professionals such as Kara DioGuardi and Jewel. His time spent at the competition did not only teach Nick the secrets of songwriting but toughened him up in terms of taking criticism. “And in the TV show, you only get to see about 15 minutes of that [critique], but it was a very gruelling experience that lasted anywhere between six to eight hours of some of the biggest names including Donna Summer that were like, you know, berating us on our songs and how bad they were”, Nittoli tells me. “So I’m built of Teflon, I’m built of steel, you can’t break me, I’m very good with taking criticism.”
In 2015 Nick Nittoli started writing songs for Snoop Dogg and even collaborated with Corey Feldman for a song “Go 4 It”, which was performed on the Today Show. “It was kinda hilarious because Corey Feldman, I was a huge fan of as a kid of his movies and stuff,” Nick tells me. “And I wrote this song years before I found out that Corey Feldman was going to be involved with it.” Working together with Snoop Dogg was a special experience for Nittoli because his efforts were acknowledged, and it helped him to grow professionally. “Snoop Dogg actually shouted my name out on one of the songs that we did together,” Nick tells me. “It was like the fourth Snoop Dogg song that I did, and he was like: “Double shout out to my main man slick Nick Nittoli!”, and that was like one of the best days I had in the music industry because it was really a stamp of all the work that I had done behind the scenes, and it felt great.” Besides helping Snoop Doog, Nittoli assisted Zendaya in the early stages of her career by shaping her songwriting skills and has also worked with people from famous American TV shows. “So I’ve worked with a tonne [TV shows] of like American Idol, songwriters, X-Factor, you name the reality show, and I’ve definitely worked with the artists.”
2017 was the big year for Nick because then he signed a record deal with Warner Chappell Music Publishing, and in 2019 released his first personal music project that he spent on two years of recording, mixing and mastering tracks. Moreover, Nittoli directs his own music videos, which only adds to his long list of accomplishments. “Well, I had the option of paying someone else to do my music videos for me and hoping that they got my vibe and understood like my colours and how wacky I am”, he tells me. “Or I could just do it myself and get gradually better at it like I did with my songwriting like I did with my production, and my mixing and mastering, so I chose the latter on that, I chose the hard route. And it really has paid off because if you look at my videos from two years ago, to now, they look absolutely amazing.” One of Nick’s favourite music videos of his own is the one made for the song “Charlie Sheen”. “I think it’s one of my best the cinematography on it, looks amazing”, he tells me. “The editing on it is great. So I’m really proud of this.”
Nick’s inspiration comes from Michael Jackson’s music that became a part of his life since he was a baby. “He’s a huge inspiration to me; I kinda grew up on Michael”, he tells me. “I used to watch one of his tapes when I was like a baby, so my first words were actually lyrics from a Michael Jackson’s song, so I knew from straight out of a womb that I was gonna be a musician.” Other artists that Nick Nittoli looks up to are Eminem and Tupac Shakur. The music that Nittoli creates is inclusive to everyone, but mostly his tracks deliver deeper messages of social issues. “But if I’m being more specific, I make music for people who have a mind of their own, who like to think for themselves, who like to question things, including the government, and issues of social change.”
In his free time, Nick loves to learn, dive into conspiracy theories, gain new historical knowledge, watch movies, and enjoy his fiancée’s company. “My fiancée is a huge part of my life”, Nick tells me. “I spend a lot of time with her. I’m actually about to take her to a fair ride now and just spent a bunch of money on cotton candy and rides, and just kind of average everyday stuff.”
For young creatives, Nick Nittoli advises them to believe in themselves, work hard, and do not trust in the opinions of others. “So if you really believe in yourself, then just work hard,” he tells me. “Never stop what you’re doing. Always be getting better. And, don’t really pay attention too much to what outside people say, listen to your heart and listen to how you feel about your music.”
You can follow Nick Nittoli’s journey here: