Folks in Memphis and the South are used to incredibly talented people. To stand out from the pack, Nick Black works to be the most original incarnation of himself he can be. “If I can not out sing somebody, I can certainly be the most me because nobody else can do that,” says Black. 

 

His music is self-described as an evolution in his life of what Memphis has to offer, influenced by soul and R&B. Black says that living in a big city with a small-town vibe allows him to work from the inside out of his music. Rather than approaching music based on external factors like demographics and chasing money, Black can chase the feeling at the center. For his latest album, Summer + Spring, he has chosen to give people a light, warm feeling as an escape from the stress of what is currently going on in the world.

“We don't make music for the awards, we make music because we love to and because of the way it makes people feel and connect. If I can help as many people as I can feel something, I’ve accomplished my goals,” says Black. 

 

Some of the people in particular that Black takes pride in helping to feel something are the students her works with at Melrose High and Stax Academy. In the programs, not only does he help kids to believe in themselves, but to also work just as hard as they believe in themselves. He explains that for kids, there is a disconnect between what goes on in the industry and what they see. He wants to make that connection and show that artists like Beyoncé are still human and that what she has is from hard work. 

 

“The industry lets some bad apples through that do not want to connect and are just in it for the money. I want to show people that if you work hard and with passion you can get there. I want to be known as the guy who did it honestly and made it by doing the right things,” says Black.