Queer songwriter and former clown NiCKY on teaming up with Hermine Demoriane on new EP ‘with’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Drawing on years in London’s underground scene, the new release balances humour, heartbreak and self-discovery
By Dale Fox
London songwriter and performance artist NiCKY has long blurred the lines between music, theatre and spectacle. Once a clown, now a composer and singer, they’ve become a fixture of the capital’s queer creative scene, from cabarets to avant-garde art spaces.
Following their piano-led debut by, NiCKY’s latest EP with (released 28 October) expands their sound with lush instrumentation and collaboration, featuring guests like Cate Le Bon collaborator Euan Hinshelwood and French underground legend Hermine Demoriane.
To mark the release, Attitude caught up with NiCKY to talk about working with Hermine, finding truth in imperfection, and the role London’s queer scene continues to play in shaping their art.
Congrats on the new EP! How are you feeling now that with is finally unleashed?
Thank you! It’s a mixture of feelings – I always have slight pre-show nerves sharing an intimate body of work, but mostly I’m really excited – relieved, almost!
What does that title mean to you?
I guess with is more. My first release by was solely piano and vocals. with feels like support – a leap of faith of sorts: inviting more sonic layers, components and contributors.
The video for the EP’s first single ‘The Fall’ is set in a circus tent and features the legendary Hermine Demoriane. How did that all come together?
I was lucky enough to perform with Hermine in February at [London venue] Ginny on Frederick as part of Condo London, organised by Queer Street Press. I sang Lou Reed’s ‘I’m Set Free’ whilst she tore herself out of a copy of the Financial Times with black rubber gloves. She’s hilarious!
It’s a mix of anecdotes of the past; her time performing at the Comic Strip in between French and Saunders, trawling through pages of handwritten lyrics and sheet music, tight rope walking in Derek Jarman’s Jubilee … all with limited rehearsing!
I trained with Zippo’s circus school a decade ago and dreamt of making a music video in the tent. It felt like a big full circle moment. The Zippo’s boss thought we were going to put stakes up for dear 80+ year-old Hermine to tight rope walk. Celia Croft shot the film during a small window on 1 September, before the tent was moved. It was all very cinematic.
How does one come to be a clown, and how does that experience live on in your performance persona?
I learned how to balance on a ladder with Zippo’s training school and made it into a full routine, before clowning extensively with a circus in the European Refugee Crisis. I’ve always loved making people laugh though. I guess there’s a level of improv that spills out on stage. Last time I was at Oto I accidentally head butted the mic and turned it into a gag. I love turning a ‘mistake’ into something or a way to connect to the audience. I think we are all fuck-ups at heart but lack the ability to admit it, or perhaps the world we live in doesn’t allow for it.
You’ve been part of London’s queer scene for years. What do you love most about being a part of that world?
I owe a lot of my self discovery to London’s queer scene. I’ve been so lucky to be here at a particular moment and work with legends like Sharon Le Grand, Midgitte Bardot, A Man To Pet and so many others. The world has truly felt like a really wild landscape the past eight years or so. Amongst that, London’s queer scene is (just as nuts!) a refuge. I travel a lot with my work, but London pulls me back.
You’re launching the EP in Glasgow and London this month. What can people expect from the shows
The Cafe Oto EP launch show [on 28 October] will be truly iconic – Hermine will have some tricks up her sleeve followed by legend Stuart McKenzie. I’m actually taking the EP all over: Brussels, London, Glasgow, Paris and maybe Marseille. People can expect tender song craft, looks, legendary collaborations + me bearing my soul behind the keys.
Finally, what’s something totally unexpected you’ve been listening to lately?
I’m actually having a bit of a Brian Eno autumnal moment, and I’m kinda coming round to the new Lily Allen record [West End Girl].
with can be pre-ordered now and tickets are available for the Cafe Oto EP launch show on 28 October.