My name is Nick Singer (yes that’s my real last name), and I’m a 20 year old country rock artist born and raised in St. James, NY. As a child, I’ve always expressed an interest in music. It wasn’t until my dad took me to an AC/DC concert at Madison Square Garden in the sixth grade that my life would be changed forever. In the sixth grade, I started attending a new school in a new district I was unfamiliar with, leaving my old friends behind. This marked a new chapter in my life, which I credit shaped me to be the person I am today. I didn’t know many kids in middle school, and I was entering a world full of young students whose friend groups had already been cemented by the time I arrived, and I often found it difficult to get to know other kids my age. It was during this time I really got into guitar. By the beginning of the new school year, I had been listening to rock music and I was getting more into bands from the genre; with my favorite being AC/DC. It was the third day of school that my dad took me to see AC/DC in NYC. During the concert, I was mesmerized by guitarist Angus Young’s playing, and it was that night that I was inspired to pick up the guitar. During my middle school days, I was educating myself on the great rock bands that came before me and was becoming well versed in their catalogs. While my peers were listening to rap, I was listening to rock… non stop. I considered my guitar to be my best friend back then. I would play that Epiphone SG guitar relentlessly for hours everyday after school, and it was then I became extremely passionate about music. A few years went by, and countless AC/DC and Def Leppard songs learned, I assembled a group of buddies together who I’ve met through a local rock music ensemble group I was attending, and put together my first ever band. We were called Söund Byte (mimicking the “ö” from Mötley Crüe). I was now beginning to play guitar and sing in live bands, honing my craft as a guitarist, performer and songwriter. Since middle school, I’ve played virtually every kind of gig imaginable; from my local ice cream shop performing for a few friends, to playing on stage with the Killers (yes that’s correct) for thousands of people! Before music took over every single aspect of my life, my childhood consisted of building Lego and coming up with crazy inventions with household items, always doing my own thing. I’ve been a creative my entire life, and preferred music over sports. When I started playing the electric guitar at the age of 10, I knew music was my true calling. I fell in love with country music during my senior year of high school, and have been blending rock and country ever since. In my original music, you can hear influences spanning anything from Def Leppard to Florida Georgia Line, carving my own lane in both genres and connecting the two; I call it “Y’allternative.” “Y’all” from the country and the “ternative” from alternative rock… you get the idea. Like my younger self, I’m constantly creating, these days it happens to be in the form of writing genre blending Y’allternative bangers and exploring new ways to leave my own unique impact on music. Did I mention I also build custom guitars too? That’s a story for another time… My original music has already been played on the radio and that’s just the beginning for me. As a current student studying music business at Belmont University in Nashville, I’m creating my own path to a career in the music industry, doing it my way, like I always have. To me, it’s important to create your own signature sound and keep it real and authentic to yourself. Growing up in Long Island, NY, my family and I would often watch American Idol and I’ve always found inspiration in the performers, especially the younger ones closer to my age. I always thought to myself, “If they can do it, why can’t I?” I want to #BeAnIdol to inspire the next generation of kids like my ten year old self and show them that they can do anything, just like how previous performers have done for me. I would love to share my story and be a part of their journey, as well as write a new chapter in mine.