Nick has new music out, and yet again it’s got me thinking.
I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed. But when it comes to Nick, his choice of genres, covers, musical inspirations…Nick is very all over the place. For some, that can be a bad thing. They don’t know to focus or they don’t lean upon their strengths and showcase more of their weaknesses as a performer. Like say when Nick faced off with Tori Kelly on The Masked Singer and she, a very strong vocal performer, tried to add dancing into things and it made it easier for Nick to win that round. Sometimes, being a master of one is better than being a master of none.
But not always.
Most performers, singers, writers, they tend to find their niche as stay there. To be fair, the music business does tend to tell you so too. The entertainment world seems to thrive in punishing you for daring to go outside your bubble, to test and poke at your abilities so you can see just how far you can go. Is it fair? No. But it’s why it’s so uncommon in the music industry. It never made sense to me. Why punish an artist or a performer for wanting to be more creative?
That’s the reality of it however.
Nick, well Nick’s never done things the standard way. When Now Or Never was happening, the easy way would’ve been to go down the lane that Backstreet Boys had laid down for him. He could’ve released music in that vein, the way Justin Timberlake had done with releasing music similar to NSYNC. He didn’t want to do that. Now Or Never isn’t perfect but it was him. Then he changed it over to I’m Taking Off and completely switched gears, before doing the retro flavored Nick and Knight with Jordan Knight. Then he flipped back around again with All American – which is arguably his strongest album to date with it’s beach rock songs and especially his doo-wop inspired song Man On The Moon.
None of these albums are like the other. You can find similarities of course. They’re all done by Nick so of course you can. There’s patterns throughout each record that remind you that this is a Nick Carter album. But they’re so varied, so different, it almost comes off as schizophrenic. Almost. Now, Nick hasn’t released a full solo album since 2015. Still, this pattern of dabbling across any genre is still going. It’s kind of crazy.
Just look at the three singles he released in 2023.
First up was Superman which was pop, of course but a heavily country influenced one. This song I’d say was probably the most personal of all the singles he released so far, there’s a truth in the lyrics that draw you in. When you hear the words “Nick Carter” and “country”, the average person wouldn’t think that they go together. They do, because Nick knows how to carry emotion within every vocal and that sort of thing is essential to country music.
The second one, of course was Made For Us and I think retro-pop would be the best description for this one. Is that a genre? Probably not, I’m pretty sure I just made that up but hell, Nick probably made it up too but making the song. A song that sounds like it came straight of Nick’s favorite decade. It’s definitely one where he just made the music he wanted to make and to hell with everyone else. It’s energetic, it’s definitely a niche sound, and the dedication to the fans gives it that something extra.
Now finally, we have the song that just came out, Never Break My Heart (Not Again). I know I raved about the song just a few days ago but this song is hands down the most radio friendly of the trio. The way that song takes you on a journey is crazy, showing off everything his voice can do. From the very beginning when it starts off slow and almost sexy, to where the build up showcases the urgency and passion within every vocal on the song.
How many artists do you know can go from a country song, to an eighties song, and then to a synth dance pop song within the span of four months? How many more can do it well? I’ll wait. You can leave examples in the comments because honestly I can’t think of any. And if I’m being honest I’m counting the rest of BSB’s solo work into this equation. Nick is the most eclectic because he’s the one who can pull it off.
That’s the strength of Nick. I want it to be his signature as well.
The thing that makes you go damn, that’s definitely a Nick Carter album.
It was pointed out on The Masked Singer too. The way he went from Bon-Jovi, to Britney Spears, to Journey? That’s not something that typically happens on that show. Again, performers tend to stay in their lane and dare not step out, and if they do…it doesn’t always happen successfully. Vocally speaking, Nick’s range is dynamic. He can go for those soft, toned down, sultry vocals. He can go for the gritty rock vocal. When he really wants to, he can hold down a power vocal for ages and let his voice soar.
I see it all the time on TikTok. I’ll post a video and people who don’t follow his solo work or performances comment with pure surprise. Not just surprise at the fact he’s doing it, but the fact he’s doing it so well. He’s so underestimated in that aspect. Partly because he’s a Backstreet Boy, unfair as it is. People don’t realize his abilities. But it’s also because others don’t do it, so why would anyone think that he could?
On his upcoming album, I truly hope he doesn’t try to conform to those expectations. It’d capture attention if he doesn’t, at least in my opinion. Let it go from genre to genre, only allow the best songs to make it. He should just add the songs he connects to most, and let that tell his story. Because that’s something else Nick is doing lately. He knows that more can be said with music, when you’re unable to say something at all. I think that this album can really tell you who he is as an artist if he does that. He’s someone who loves all forms of music, creating in every genre. Someone who can truly do it all.
He’s a jack of all trades, but he’s a master of all too.
That’s what makes him so unique.
Forever Rebel 