FEATURE: Nick D’Andrea Finds Happiness With New Single “Beat Along”

Having played in two bands since 2013, singer-songwriter Nicholas D’Andrea began by starting the Band Nick D’ & The Believers, touring regionally and securing song placements on television shows up until 2016 when he switched gears to form Doc Robinson. Back in 2019, Nick stepped away from the band to focus on his growing family, and to begin working for the music based non profit We Amplify Voices, before releasing his solo album Aslan back in March 2021. Now, the musician is continuing his solo career with his new single “Beat Along”. The first from his upcoming EP Shine Out, “Beat Along” is an uplifting and catchy indie folk pop tune about celebrating and appreciating the joy of life.

“I wanted this song to have joy baked into it from the bottom up, and give a feeling like you’re out walking the dog on a perfect summer morning, just noticing how beautiful everything is”, Nick shares. “The lyrics are about giving thanks, and pointing to what brings me joy and peace, and kind of offering an invitation to whoever’s listening to open up their hearts to the message and the music”.

He continues, “Musically I took a different production approach than my first album, incorporating some choral synthesizers fused with a gritty live band rhythm section. It was recorded with some of my former band mates from previous bands Doc Robinson and Nick D’ and the Believers. And it was produced by Glenn Davis, who makes some amazing solo music, but was also in a band called Way Yes, and has worked as producer with Saintseneca“.

The well-rounded instrumentation and fulfilling energy make for a strong foundation as Nick’s cool, rustic vocals mirror that of Jack Johnson and Bahamas for a summery, feel-good hit.

Listen below, and read more about Nick and his work in the latest Q&A feature just past.

How has making the switch to being a solo artist been for you?

It’s been weird in a lot of ways, I really thrive on collaborating with band mates and I get a lot of satisfaction out of going through that writing/ recording process as a team. I’ve tried to keep collaborating as much as I can with this solo music with guys I’ve played with in other bands, it really helps me find the way with each different song once I hear how they start to interpret and process it. It adds so much to the music to get to play with guys I love and respect and they can give me honest feedback when something‘s not working. I appreciate the simplicity of it though, it’s definitely easier to make decisions. My career priorities completely shifted when I started down this path. My intentions behind making and releasing music really became about sharing my faith, so it just feels completely different from that perspective too.

Who are some musical influences for your solo work?

The usual suspects are a lot of the 60-70’s greats, Dylan and John Prine and the Beatles and the Dead and the Stones, and some more recents like Wilco, M Ward, Dr Dog, Vampire Weekend. But on this new collection of songs I’m working on I’ve also been inspired a lot by some new (to me) worship artists like Will Reagan , Zach Williams , Brandon Lake, Mark Barlow and We Are Messengers. They’re all insanely talented songwriters but they’re really bold with how they share their faith in their music. They can also thread the needle of making it accessible to people that might come from a different perspective. The way their music makes me feel is something entirely new to me.

Can you explain more about your role with WAV and its importance in the community?

Sure! So I first started working with them as a workshop leader around 6 years ago when it was called The Dick and Jane Project. I had worked as a teacher and after school program director for some years after college, and DJP was basically about bringing in musicians to work with kids to write and record songs. So it really scratched both itches for me with my experience and interests. In 2018 I had the chance to take on a different role as operations director and just really loved it. It was something I really believed in and felt passionate about, that involved music, and also allowed me to gig less and be at home more with my family.

So in 2019 I became the executive director and that same year we changed the name to We Amplify Voices. We also started moving in new directions with the groups we were working with. We were finding that the songwriting workshop model worked really well with adults too, and basically was like an arts based group therapy. We piloted programs with a group of women at the Ohio Reformatory that were in a recovery community and the song they wrote shared their journeys out of addiction. When COVID hit it forced us out of a lot of the schools we were working with and led to us working more with groups like the women’s prison and Goodwill‘s Adult services program. We did a project called Bridges Of Love last year that connected a group of moms at the Reformatory with their kids around the state over zoom to write songs together. They worked with some incredible songwriters to write six songs. We collaborated with a local TV station to film interviews with the families and live performances on theater stages. Our mission is all about connecting people through creativity and lifting up Voices that tend to get stuck on the margins.

“Beat Along” is about finding joy in your life – what are some things that bring you happiness in your daily life?

My family is definitely a daily source of happiness. I’ve been married going on 11 years, and it’s really satisfying to get to a place in our relationship where we’ve weathered some storms and get to enjoy how it can bring you to new levels of closeness with each other. We just had our third kid a few months ago, becoming a dad has been something that’s brought me so much joy. I really enjoy and am grateful for the work I get to do and the people I get to do it with.

What should fans look forward to with your upcoming EP?

It kind of sounds like a hybrid of both previous bands I’ve been in (Nick D’ and the Believers and Doc Robinson). There’s a kind of raw, organic live band rhythm section with some different electronic elements mixed in. It feels the most like me of anything I’ve recorded. But it’s all about giving thanks and pouring my heart out as honestly as I can.