Music Star Carmen Nickerson On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Music Industry
An Interview With Guernslye Honoré
Surround yourself with good people — These days, I know am surrounded by very good people who have my best interest at heart.
As a part of our interview series with leaders, stars, and rising stars in the music industry, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Carmen Nickerson.
Carmen Nickerson is an indie artist known for her heartfelt melodies and captivating storytelling. Growing up on a farm in rural Iowa, Carmen draws upon her authentic upbringing as the foundation for her music, effortlessly reflecting the truths and pressures of her life through soul-stirring melodies and thought-provoking lyrics.
Collaborating with renowned artists Willy Porter, Kostia Efimov, John Calarco, John Wheeler, Dave Adler, Mai Bloomfield and Stas Venglevski, her work transcends boundaries. Nickerson released her highly anticipated debut solo studio album, “Room to Grow,” in November of 2023.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit about your “origin story”. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
I grew up as the youngest of six on a small farm in north central Iowa. My four brothers were hoping for another boy to complete a basketball team, but my sister was very happy to finally have another girl in the family. Nature was everything to me. And horses. I had my own horse and would spend summer days riding into town, where I’d tie her up and visit my mom at her job at the grain elevator. She was the bookkeeper and lone female employee.
What inspired you to pursue a career in music, and how did your journey begin?
My family was very musical. We all were in band. Our grandmother, who lived down the gravel road a few miles, gave us piano lessons. My dad played the trumpet, coronet, harmonica, and violin. He also sang with a barbershop choir and quartet for over 40 years. I heard harmonies constantly. I was in every possible choir available in high school and was in the elite choir at Iowa State University. My first pop band experience was when I formed and joined a contemporary Christian band we named Prism, while a sophomore in college.
I remember my first time singing by myself was at the high school talent show. I was a shy person and terrified of public speaking, but when I sang, I felt perfectly at home, comfortable, and joyful.
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
Performing on “A Prairie Home Companion” as the Porter/Nickerson duo was such an amazing experience. Meeting Garrison Keillor and seeing how he worked was incredible. He would get stories from his guests and work them into the show. Many times, he and the staff would change copy at the last minute. He is a genius.
It has been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I would sing on TV and radio frequently with Willy Porter (the Porter of Porter/Nickerson). Once when he was being interviewed on a local morning radio show, the host turned to me to ask a question. I don’t even remember the question, but I remember my answer: “I sing good.” I was mortified. (Remember my fear of public speaking.) But the host just kept on going as if what I said was the most normal and perfectly intelligent thing to say. He said, “you do sing very well” and went on from there. He was so smooth. Such a professional. It taught me that it’s okay to say something silly and that, as Willy says, there are no mistakes just grand recoveries. The radio show host made a grand recovery for me, and it is something we should all do for each other. It was an unforgettable lesson in graciousness.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
For sure it is Willy Porter. Willy is a respected singer/songwriter and guitar genius. He was on several major record labels and toured with Sting, Paul Simon, and Tori Amos among others. I started working with him in 2010. Before long, we took a shot and co-writing and discovered we had a good rapport that just kept getting stronger. Willy instilled confidence and believed in my artist self.
Willy and I shared a bass player, Steve Kleiber, who would always tell Willy that he and I should work together. I’m eternally grateful to Steve as well. Sadly, Steve has passed on.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
It’s all about my new album, “Room to Grow” right now. I poured my heart and soul into “Room to Grow.” Each track holds a special place in my journey as a musician and storyteller, and I’m thrilled to share these songs with the world. I hope they resonate with listeners on a deep level.
I plan to get going on another project next year.
We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in music, film, and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?
- I love all styles of music. We all have different voices to share depending on our culture and background, which translates to different kinds of music. I think it would be boring to have a limited sonic palette.
- It is inspiring for someone to see someone like them have success and feel that they also can follow in their footsteps.
- When we can love music that is perhaps not what we normally listen to it can open our minds and perhaps help us to relate to others who are different than us. We can share some commonality.
As a successful music star, you’ve likely faced challenges along the way. How do you stay motivated? How do you overcome obstacles in your career?
It is challenging to keep going at times when there seems to be no traction, but the reward is the music itself.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?
- Be careful who you trust — I lived in LA for several years and met plenty of people who just wanted to manipulate me.
- Surround yourself with good people — These days, I know am surrounded by very good people who have my best interest at heart.
- Don’t be desperate for success or fame or be defined by music.
- Let yourself have a life besides music — When in LA, I felt that I had to focus only on making my music career happen and didn’t allow myself to have fun and take excursions very often. I don’t do that anymore.
- Going to a music conservatory/college would be a great place to hone your instrument(s) and make connections — When I started out I had no clue how to get into the music business. Going to a school, like Berklee, would have been a great place to meet good people and make connections in the music industry while improving as a musician and songwriter.
Can you share some insights into your creative process? How do you approach songwriting? How do you approach musical collaborations?
I feel that all creativity is a very spiritual process. When everything is flowing, I feel like I’m a channel for the songs.
I have written songs with the guitar and the piano or just out of the ether. Sometimes, I’ll listen to other music for inspiration and a groove or idea will flow from that. Sometimes, the melodies will come in a dream, though it’s hard to capture most of it upon waking. Sometimes I’ll just start strumming a chord progression. I’ve found taking songwriting classes very helpful as well. John Sieger, who is a prolific writer, has given some very helpful exercises in his songwriting classes.
In the past, when the ideas weren’t flowing, it would make me feel like I didn’t have any ability and would go down a rabbit hole of negative self-talk. I’ve gotten better at being king to myself and just taking a break and coming back to the song later.
Willy has often encouraged me to keep working on a song, that I may think is done, which has been a good lesson for me.
Your music has resonated with so many fans worldwide. What do you believe sets your music apart?
I believe that I’m just being me. Yes, I have many influences that I draw upon, but I don’t think I’m trying to be the next great pop act. That was something I wanted many years ago, but now I just want to keep improving my songwriting and voice. There’s always “Room to Grow.” Lol — that’s the name of my first studio solo album, which I just released in November 2023. :)
How do you connect with your audience?
I like to feel that we are having a conversation. We are friends. I hope to make them feel the emotion of the song and go along on a journey. I like to go with the flow and not have a canned set thing to say.
With your busy schedule and demanding performances, how do you prioritize self-care and maintain a balance between your personal life and career in the music industry?
I have wonderful friends and we regularly have dinner parties in my backyard when the weather is nice. I take time for a massage every now and then, a mani/pedi, hot baths, reading novels, watching a movie, and exercise. I’m also currently working up to a black belt in taekwondo.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
Let’s take mental health. If you’re wealthy and have a breakdown, you can go to a spa-like oasis with organic food, a pool, reiki and so on. If you’re poor, you don’t have that option. I’d like to see a place that is non-profit and can provide people with little resources with the same quality of care. That they could have reiki, learn about aromatherapy, yoga, nutrition, and other alternatives to drugs. A place where they could learn about meditation and would be surrounded by nature. And have access to these things after they leave the facility.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)
Mary Magdalene.
How can our readers continue to follow your work online?
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
About the interviewer: Guernslye Honoré, affectionately known as “Gee-Gee”, is an amalgamation of creativity, vision, and endless enthusiasm. She has elegantly twined the worlds of writing, acting, and digital marketing into an inspiring tapestry of achievement. As the creative genius at the heart of Esma Marketing & Publishing, she leads her team to unprecedented heights with her comprehensive understanding of the industry and her innate flair for innovation. Her boundless passion and sense of purpose radiate from every endeavor she undertakes, turning ideas into reality and creating a realm of infinite possibilities. A true dynamo, Gee-Gee’s name has become synonymous with inspirational leadership and the art of creating success.
