Exclusive Interview with NIXON FOSH

Nixon Fosh’s career officially got underway in 2020 with the release of his debut single, “The Way I’m Crying on the Floor.” Thousands of people all over the world were drawn to the song. His new single, All My Friends, from his upcoming debut album, has been released recently.

Nixon Fosh is a singer, songwriter, and producer. His artistic ability is truly one-of-a-kind; he has an extraordinary vision that deviates from the norm. He claims, “The music lives rent-free in my head; I wake up and sit down at the piano to compose something wholly original.” His most recent song, which presents his distinctive sound in a manner that has never been done before, reflects this sentiment. He has advanced significantly in his career in the two years since his initial release. In order to push the envelope even further, he is assuming multiple roles, getting involved in every facet of his music, and pursuing innovative partnerships with other musicians and producers.

The nature of friendship and how challenging it is to identify your true friends when things go wrong are the subjects of the song “All My Friends.” On a fire escape in my New York apartment he wrote this song. When he needed assistance, he called his friends, but no one answered. This epic, depressing song is about realizing that your best friend is actually you. Check out the song and the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

NIXON FOSH: I was born in Russia and moved to the US when I was 18 to pursue a music career. I started writing songs at the age of 13, and I guess it was in rebellion against my piano teacher because I refused to play “melodies written by dead men.” The whole story is more complex than that. But the bottom line is that she challenged me to write something better, and everything starts from there.

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

NIXON FOSH: My mom wanted me to be an opera singer so starting at 4-5 years old, I was in music school constantly. Classic vocal training, choir, music harmony, music history, piano, and the list goes on. It was so much fun but extremely exhausting. I am a formally trained musician but a selftaught songwriter.

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ”NIXON FOSH”?

NIXON FOSH: Ever since I can remember, my true obsession and muse was the French artist, the one and only- Mylene Farmer. Everything she does is just so fascinating. Her music and lyrics saved me so many times, and she will always be my number one. Then I found out about Amy Winehouse and was so stunned by the storytelling in her songs. Amy’s Back to Black was the first vinyl I ever bought. Why Nixon Fosh? Haha! That’s a great question. The answer is simple. Nikita is my original name; my friends call me Nick, Niks, and Nicky. Nixon Fosh, on the other hand, is a statement. It is a persona who lives in his own world of music and speaks in lyrics. Nixon Fosh is my alter ego, like Beyonce’s Sasha Fierce.

4. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?

NIXON FOSH: Oh Lord, I’ve been dealing with haters my entire life. Does that make me an expert? In elementary school, everyone used to hate me for no reason. In high school, everyone hated me because I was “different.” In college, some people hated me because I never studied for the finals and always got the highest scores. Hate is awful, and I wish there were no hate at all. It’s different in music because music is a subjective matter. I always pay attention to criticism and never hate.

5. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?

NIXON FOSH:

I love working in the studio, which is how I make art. I love sitting for hours talking about genres, describing instruments and sounds I need to add to the song, and listening to the new music being created. In the studio, if you make a mistake, you can edit it. On stage, you can make no mistakes. The live audience is savvy; they see every single flaw, and you have to be perfect or be prepared to face the harshest critiques.

6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?

NIXON FOSH:

Music is my religion, the air I breathe. I try to avoid politics, but I am a human rights activist and use my music to create awareness and perspective. I want people to crave beautiful melodies and listen to the hidden meaning of my lyrics—music functions as a spiritual vehicle for me.

7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

NIXON FOSH:

Music gives me more than just fulfillment. It gives me purpose; however, art should be profitable because artists use their minds to share their inner workings for consumption. Like any business, it is never an easy journey to create and bring forth ideas that can sometimes be painful.

8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

NIXON FOSH:

I am glad you asked! I will be frank with you, sometimes, I can’t sleep because my brain is permanently active and tuned in. It’s like I am a radio receiver, and I can hear a melodic piece in my head while walking down the street. There is no pattern; music lives in my head rent-free and comes out when ready.

9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

NIXON FOSH:

The most challenging moment was moving to the US to start a new life; I’ve never looked back. Being exposed to so many cultures in one place has created the space to learn and enhance my sound, which I wouldn’t have been able to master in Russia. The hardest thing to find is people who care and believe in your projects and, more importantly, want to work with you on your ideas.

10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

NIXON FOSH: I have finally released my new single, All My Friends, which has hit personal milestones on various streaming platforms. I look forward to continuing to create music people want to hear and finishing my album Seas & Seasons.