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Inspired by personal experiences of impossible love, conflict, and separation, ‘Love Therapy’ presents themes of nostalgia, longing, passion, and hope that permeate the twelve tracks. The album explores the different phases of a relationship and the coping mechanisms to get through hard times
Following a string of releases on Amsterdam, New York, and London-based label Armada Music, French musician, DJ, and producer Nico de Andrea is excited to release his debut album, Love Therapy – out now on Armada.
A sonic melting pot of melodic pop and Afro house with melancholic undertones, Love Therapy is inspired by personal experiences of impossible love, conflict, and separation while touching on themes of nostalgia, longing, passion, and hope that permeate the twelve tracks. The album explores the different phases of a relationship and the coping mechanisms to get through hard times…from the fragility of “One Last Call” to the darkness of “Start The Fire” to finally finding confidence and peace of mind with “Dreamin’ 514” and “Million Times”.
To some, a debut album might signal the early stages of a career for an artist. But for Nico de Andrea, Love Therapy is the culmination of a career spanning almost two decades. The multifaceted talent has been building a career in music since the tender age of 14. Nico’s love for house music stems from being a young boy fascinated by artists such as Larry Levan, Masters at Work, and David Morales.
Upon learning how to DJ, Nico went on to become one of a few people in his hometown playing the genre, performing in vinyl bars such as the now-closed The Living Room in Cannes, where Nico’s father was legally required to wait for him in front of the bar as Nico was still a minor. The music resonated strongly with the people on the dance floor, and Nico spoke to the people dancing and connected with them on a personal level, setting typical DJ ego aside. This unique approach still stands today despite Nico playing to larger crowds globally in clubs and festivals.
Fiercely inspired by the records that got such great response in the vinyl bar, Nico started experimenting with layering Afro and Latin rhythms over house records and adding melancholic piano, resulting in new sounds that would later evolve into his trademark sound. “I was becoming a producer entirely by accident,” says Nico.
Following years of honing his production skills, Nico started sharing his original productions with the world via the Paris-based label Unity Records, much to the appeal of tastemakers such as Black Coffee, Pete Tong, Solomun, and Keinemusik. Recent tracks like “Start The Fire” with Eli & Fur and “Ethnica” with Vannety have been widely supported by the world’s elite DJs, including David Guetta, Diplo, Armin van Buuren, Oliver Heldens, John Summit, Nora En Pure, Bob Sinclar, and Claptone, to name a few.
With this album, melancholy has a deeper meaning. Amidst a dark period, which saw the loss of his older brother, Nico was separated from his son after Nico and his partner parted ways. Nico sought the studio as his safe space and coping mechanism, pouring emotion into every track he created, exploring each phase of his experience. The result was a collection of tracks collectively labeled Love Therapy that represent the journey he went on, told by music.
In celebration of the album release, Nico is also hitting the road in North America – with upcoming shows in New York, Toronto, Chicago, Los Angeles, and more.
Love Therapy is available January 26 on Armada Music.
Tracklist:
- Nico de Andrea & Tensnake feat Lola Melita – One Last Call
- Nico de Andrea feat Amira Eldine – Like Water
- Nico de Andrea feat Emria – Corazon
- Nico de Andrea & Marcus Santoro feat Joyia – Nowhere
- Nico de Andrea & Vanetty – Ethnica
- Nico de Andrea feat Julia Church – Worst Case Scenario
- Nico de Andrea & Dorian Craft – Avalon
- Nico de Andrea feat Darla Jade – My Everything
- Nico de Andrea & Eli & Fur – Start The Fire
- Nico de Andrea – Dreamin’ 514
- Nico de Andrea feat Sophia Bel – Million Times
For more information about Nico de Andrea, go to:
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Nico de Andrea is a French DJ, producer, and musician. Until he released Love Therapy, I didn’t know who he was! The album is fantastic and is filled with 11 songs that pull your heart strings. His music incorporates catchy melodies, driving rhythms, and innovative production techniques, earning him popularity among those who frequent clubs and attend festivals. Nico continues to push the boundaries of electronic music with his dynamic productions and electrifying performances, establishing himself as a rising star in the EDM world.
When Love Therapy first hit the airwaves, I was immediately captivated. Collaborating with talents such as Lola Melita, Emria, Julia Church, and Eli & Fur, Nico crafted an album where each track is a gem, making it nearly impossible for me to pick a favorite. With only 11 songs, Love Therapy takes listeners on a seamless musical journey, each track building upon the last in an exploration of sound. I highly recommend immersing yourself in Love Therapy while delving into this exclusive interview with Nico de Andrea. It’s truly something special. Enjoy the experience!
Emotional House Music
Your debut album Love Therapy is fantastic! Tell me more about the release and your experience working with Armada Music.
Hello everyone!! I started working with Armada when collaborating with THEMBA on the track “Disappear”. Pretty quickly, the idea emerged to sign my own project. For me, this collaboration is truly excellent; we have a real trusting relationship. They allowed me complete artistic freedom, and I was able to deliver the album I’ve always dreamed of making. It’s an introspective album about difficult episodes of my life that I wanted to express through music. It mainly focuses on the entire process of rebuilding and the quest for happiness.
You worked with some big names on this including Julia Church, Eli & Fur, and Sophia Bel. Tell me more about working with them and how collaborating on a song makes it just that much better!
I have a genuine artistic love affair with beautiful voices. The artists you just mentioned are among my favorites. It took me a few years to convince them to come work on my project. I am so proud to have been able to collaborate with them and for them to tell my story with such sensitivity and sincerity. For me, it’s the DREAM TEAM.
You are taking Love Therapy on the road. You are all over the place, too. Are you pumped for that tour and are you looking to add more dates? Have fun in Paris… My favorite city in the world!
It’s truly incredible to travel the world playing my music. I just got back from Asia for a tour around the release of the album. Shanghai, Bangkok, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. Discovering new countries, new horizons, a new audience – that’s what really makes me happy every day.
As for Paris, it’s truly a very important rendezvous for me. It’s where I grew up, where I started DJing more than twenty years ago. Coming back as an artist with my own songs to the place where I was a resident DJ for so many years is really a big achievement.
It seems like every DJ has a podcast. Tell me more about Essentials by Nico de Andrea. How often are you releasing new episodes of the show?
“Essentials” is truly more than just a podcast for me. It’s a real daily research effort to create pieces of music that will stand the test of time. There isn’t a precise frequency for releasing episodes because I take the time to create unique versions of my own songs specifically for each episode. I take the time to work on each track listing, each transition, so that everything is musically beautiful.
Tell me about your time with Unity Group and how they support you as an artist.
I’ve been working with Unity for a very long time now. They initially acted as a label, signing my first tracks like “Monster” or “Wish We Could,” and then they became involved as management. Their daily work is very important to me; it allows me to focus much more on my music and, most importantly, to stay motivated. The life of an artist is like a roller coaster.
I love the album artwork. Who designed that and what does that layout mean to you and the theme of this album?
The cover art for this record was created by Celia Genevois, a Montreal-based artist. The idea was to bridge the emotional aspect of the album with the ethnic elements of my songs. On one side, we have the heart, the listening ear, faces embracing each other, and on the other side, face paintings, the red circle referencing Japan, a photo of me with a samurai style haircut, all serving as reminders of travel and cultural exploration.
What is your songwriting process like? Do you sit down with a yellow pad, or do ideas just come to you?
We always start with the piano. Piano and vocals. For me, the song and the atmosphere are the main elements, unlike many DJs who focus on groove or efficiency. I work on complete songs: verse, pre-chorus, chorus. We choose the theme, the main word, and start singing, then we break down the strongest hooks and begin structuring the song. Afterwards, I bring in the club aspect.
What headphones are around your neck? I ask every DJ that… I should compile a list!
I have custom made stick headphones designed by NYC’s ARIEL LOLLIPOP on a Pioneer DJ HDJ-X7.
What inspired Love Therapy? This isn’t just a collection of songs… This is a journey through love, conflict, and separation.
Love Therapy is my journey towards happiness. I address separation, divorce, the death of my older brother, but also the arrival of my child, reconstruction, dreams, and hope. We go through all the emotions to end up around healing and fulfillment.
As a DJ, would you rather release something brand new or remix something you’ve heard trying to make it better?
I began my career by remixing classics like Sade, Stevie Wonder, or Jamiroquai. Now, I’m focused on original songs. I’ve found immense pleasure in creating new, unique, and personal works.
Your single “Wish We Could” has over 6.6 million streams on Spotify. What does that exposure and support mean to you as an artist?
I’m always very happy when I see results like this. It’s important for an artist to see that their tracks have found their audience. Especially for a track like “Wish We Could,” which had a very quiet start upon its release but has been gaining momentum over the years. Time is on the side of artists and songs.
I’ve always wanted to collaborate with a DJ on something… Not sure it makes sense, but if you ever want to work together, let me know. I think it would be neat to team up.
Let’s do it!
I know you just released Love Therapy, but are you working on your next single? Or are you focused on the tour?
I’m working on my first tour in the United States as a headliner for the months of March and April. Additionally, I’m working on the upcoming singles for the release of the deluxe version of Love Therapy, featuring unreleased tracks and remixes.
Your music is featured on the Armada Chill Playlist. That playlist has 470 songs and over 70k likes. That is great, man! I LOVE chill/downtempo music. Not really a question. Just neat to see!
The best chill-out and downtempo tracks of the moment selected by Armada! Updated weekly on Friday. Relaxing music perfect to lounge, study, chill in the sun and more. Including tracks from Jan Blomqvist, Kidnap, Polar Inc., Joachim Pastor, Nick Schilder, and Tensnake.
Tell me more about Essentials 11 and all the songs on that release.
The idea is to explore different genres of music while keeping the same musical DNA. We transition from indie to Brazilian music to a remix of Drake, including exclusive versions of my songs “Start The Fire” or “Corazon,” and finishing with an Amapiano track.
There are some amazing clubs out there. Where are your favorite places to play and what are your favorite places to see a show?
Whether it’s for watching a show or DJing, my favorite destination is Ibiza. The energy of the island is unmatched. I’ve been fortunate to DJ there a lot in legendary clubs like Pacha, Destino, Playa Soleil, or Club Chinois. Those will always be my best memories.
Thanks for doing this, man. That was fun! We’ve talked about a lot today. What else? Is there anything we’ve missed?
My next single will be called “Legion” and it’s a collaboration with the artist Imad.
In all the interviews I do I always give the artist the last word. Go.
I will take advantage of this final word to remind everyone that music and DJing should remain a passion. We must always remember what led us to step onto the stage, and those who inspired us to do so. Social media often pushes us to deliver quick and viral content, but for me, it’s the opposite of the essence of music, which, in my opinion, should take its time to exist through the years, through the trends. DJs are marathon runners, not sprinters. It’s essential to learn to have your own identity and remain consistent to ensure that your career can continue to thrive. I celebrated 20 years of music already and it’s only the beginning.
