Nicolay & Kay

To be slept on, means to go without notice from the mainstream world, usually while producing high caliber work, while vying for a solid position in an industry. It’s more or less a huge blow to the ego, but tons of fuel to drive the creative mind to the next level. Nicolay & Kay know being slept on only too well. Now concentrated in Wilmington, North Carolina, this creative duo has been building a unique style since birth, but have been concentrating it in recent years for a very very odd reason. Fame and money mean little, and the drive to create excellent music is their major concern. This outlook, and the voices they represent, may be the ultimate reason for being overlooked, but they hustle hard just the same.

“I don’t know if there is a motif to our music, but we are trying to swim against the stream instead of only being concerned for out wallets,” says Nicolay. It’s a statement that many have made, but that few actually dedicate their lives to. “What you actually hear today is all glamorized and isn’t about the everyday normal person; it’s rarely heard,” said Kay, a forceful component of Houston’s The Foundation. “That commentary of normal people is something everyone can relate to, its like the feeling you get when listening to Tribe.” This everyman mentality also doubles as an underlying theme that helps to add depth to the music. Tribe, De LA, and The Jungle Brothers, who’s members made up the Native Tongues Posse, where all about more than just music but used music as their channel. This communal vibe is revived through Nicolay and the people he works with. “We’re just trying hard to take people with us. I think a lot of people are making differences, and I just try to work with soul musicians that I admire, and who are at the best of their abilities.”

As of now, Nicolay and Kay are moving toward the release of the Time:line album, which is set to be released in February of 2008. “Time:line is a concept records simply about the life cycle.” Nicolay has invested a lot of emotion and time into this, due to his drive for perfection, and hopes that “it will do well enough that in the very least a lot of people will get to listen. It’s obvious that we don’t get a lot of mainstream attention, but its a difficult period in the industry, and we have a lot of opportunity, we just have to maximize on it.” Kay, voicing his opinions on the the transition of the music industry would add clarity to the humble desires of the two. “The next era will see that everyone will have a voice, but you have to go out and preform; make concept records. Music is real capitalistic, not that it hasn’t always been that way, but its current machine is falling apart. That why artists are getting dropped from their labels- artist need to get out there and start being consistent. There aren’t going to be an huge superstars anymore. The new super-stardom is taken by people on TV. The new superstars is High School Musical.” “I Love New York could probably drop an album and it would go platinum,” added Nicolay, ” If someone had her throw together anything, It would probably be a huge hit!”

If hell freezes over, and a burring hailstorm blankets the earth, signally the release of I love NY’s album, Nicolay & Kay will still be providing a combative force to ill conceived ploys. “I just go with what feels right, and I’m all over the place, I’m just eclectic. I’m trying to do as much as my talents will allow. There are a lot of combinations to explore and I’m just trying to make a mark.” With the tumultuous throws of music at large creating tons of barriers to artists with a new and imaginative spin on music, sayin that its tough not to get slept on is an excessive understatement. Still, the resolve of artists who are in the game due to a love for the people they create for, is a an lining that shouldn’t be taken for granted. “I’m more exotic, and I can draw on that, that’s also why I lay low; so I can focus.” While that focus wont single handedly draw a wayward eye from the mainstream, it will build tempo for a movement that could underscore the change in music.