Nelly’s Echo is neither a band nor a solo musician, but a concept of the musical experience associated with its creator, Nelson.
He has self-released four successful albums, performed at over 100 different colleges in the past year, entertained the troops in Cuba and even participated in Season 3 of The Voice as a member of Team Christina.
Relying on lessons learned from his childhood in Africa and his everyday experiences, his storytelling style has led to some comparing his musicality & storytelling to that of Jason Mraz and John Mayer. Nelson also has taken great pride in sharing the stage with the likes of Trombone Shorty, Travis McCoy & Sean Kingston. In the end, the goal of Nelly’s Echo is to use music to reach the four corners of the earth, while sharing the message of positivity, life, hope, and love to everyone that it comes in contact with.
In this interview, we spend a few minutes with Nelly’s Echo discussing influences, the newest project, and more.
Full Q&A, links, and a stream of “Song For You” below.
Let’s dive a little deeper into You, the artist and your music. What attracted you to this genre(s) or style(s)?
I felt this particular genre would help me best convey the premise and mood of this song. I am also a multi-genre artist.
What led you into this journey with music? And further, what drives you to push it out to the public?
I have a passion for positively affecting people through music. It is my therapy! Even though I’m reserved by nature, this passion overrides that reservation. It affords me the opportunity to really connect with people.
Who or what influences your creativity? Have your tastes in music changed over time?
Life experiences and traveling help fuel my creativity. Being a full time touring musician, I am constantly exposed to new geographical, climate and cultural influences. This gives me an appreciation for all types of music and forms of artistic expressions.
Were you trying to accomplish anything specific on this new project? Creatively or otherwise?
I was trying not to suck!. A song when written honestly can have a very powerful effect. However, sometimes during the studio recording process, you can water down that magic with studio whistles and bells that steal the essence of the song. The goal with this project was to avoid that pitfall.
What was the last song you listened to?
“Who let the dogs out.” I was working out!
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
I’m easy like sunday morning. I like them all, but have very limited experience with Vinyl.
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
I prefer spotify. It’s what I have on my phone, hence my bias.
Other than the digital era overwhelming us with access to an abundance of music, what is the biggest challenge you face when trying to connect with or find new fans?
Making fans aware of shows of mine close to them, and then getting them to come out to the show. I’m thinking of now taking the shows to them via avenues like facebook live etc
Where is the best place to connect with you online? Discover more music?
Anything else you’d like to add before signing off?
Thanks for the opportunity and keep making good music the soundtrack to your life.
