Poetry series:'between the lines'
An Interview
NiCk Yee
Thank you for agreeing to play at our launch night! We’re very excited! How long have you been making music for?
I'd say since I was 10 (Asian parents expect their kids to play at least 5 instruments haha). But in terms of playing gigs, I'd say since I was about 13
What is your earliest musical memory?
I think it was being sat at the piano with my nan, with her trying to teach me a waltz of some sort. She's the reason I can even play music, I would never have been disciplined enough to sit and play scales if it weren't for her.
How would you describe your style?
I would describe my style as R&B played with my own mellow acoustic twist. It tends to be quite smooth and chill. But it's quite varied and eclectic. I throw in my own versions of pop every now and again.
How has your style changed over the years?
I was pretty classical as a kid, especially when it came to the piano, saxophone and flute, but I think I just realised that whilst it's good for technique, it wasn't exactly super fun to play, so with my guitar and singing, I kind of started with generic pop and over the years I think my playing style sort of evolved into what it is now.
Most memorable set you’ve played?
Playing the saxophone at the Chicago Symphonic festival when I was like 15 was pretty insane, but solo gigs at weddings are always pretty memorable, just to be apart of someone's big day and to be able to contribute in some way.
What music are you into right now?
I go through phases when it comes to my taste in music. Some days I'll listen to A Tribe Called Quest, others I'll listen to Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and Sinatra are always up there, sometimes even some Spanish Boca like Chico Buarque or Carla Morrison, and other days I'll listen to Fleetwood Mac and even Panic at the Disco on repeat if I'm feeling sentimental! Honestly I couldn't pick any one genre haha.
What can we expect from your set on Wednesday?
Hopefully you'll enjoy it. It's quite a mellow set and makes for easy listening, so I guess the main thing for me is for people to be entertained by it to some extent. Just to enjoy and respond positively to it really!
