Singer-songwriter Nicole Atkins discusses her musical journey on a new episode of Osiris Media podcast Past, Present, Future, Live!. The podcast ends with Atkins performing three songs from her 2020 album, Italian Ice, on a desolate highway.
Host RJ Bee starts by asking Nicole about her first musical memories. Atkins recalls growing up on the Jersey Shore listening to oldie stations and attending concerts with her family. She discusses her appreciation for the music of Frankie Valli, The Big Bopper, the Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin and the impact The Who’s Tommy rock opera made on her.
The conversation moves on to Atkins’ roots as a performer in Atlantic City. Nicole speaks about the variety of venues she played at, attending college in North Carolina with The Avett Brothers and how her songwriting skills developed. Bee asks about Nicole’s initial experience working with Rick Rubin and getting signed to a major label, which had varied results. The singer-songwriter explains how her debut album, Neptune City, came together and took two years before it was finally released.
Eventually, talk transitioned to Atkins’ most recent albums, Goodnight Rhonda Lee and Italian Ice. Nicole recalls the process that led to her writing Italian Ice track “Mind Eraser” with My Morning Jacket guitarist Carl Broemel and how she came up with the title Goodnight Rhonda Lee. RJ and Nicole end the interview portion of the podcast with Atkins detailing how songwriting changed in a good way once she became sober, the role of gender in music and what she’s currently working on.
Listen to Nicole Atkins’ appearance on Past, Present, Future, Live! below:
https://www.stitcher.com/show/past-present-future-live/episode/nicole-atkins-79279541
Watch Nicole perform “Forever,” “Captain” and “Mind Eraser”:
Check out a playlist featuring Nicole’s influences mentioned in the interview:
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