Poignant songwriters carry a brilliance of capturing heart piercing stories in real-time while reflecting deep-seated emotions and a lust for life that uplifts. Nick Africano's poetic storytelling bears unflinching intimacy and releases our imaginations to dream of love's abundance of emotions. The debut single "Mirador" featured on his forthcoming full-length studio album, Gossip of Flames (June 4th, 2021), brings the sweeping views of Granada, Spain atop the Mirador de San Nicolás to Nashville's Sound Emporium Studios for an idiosyncratic post-Americana composition. Gossip of Flames is a masterpiece featuring Africano in collaboration with Nashville's rising star Lera Lynn; who serves as the producer and co-writer (7 of the 10 songs) of Gossip of Flames.
Gossip of Flames culls an identity from Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself," though the recording is rooted in the experience of a performing artist based in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn. In a bout of inspiration to record Gossip of Flames, Africano returned to his Sicilian father's art studio in the midwestern town of Normal, IL where Africano grew up playing baseball with lauded artist Pokey LaFarge. The homecoming resulted in a handful of demos that were brought back to NYC, and ultimately, sent off to various Nashville artists and producers. While on a writing retreat in Music City, Africano met with Lera Lynn and Todd Lombardo as he neared completion of the 10 songs that comprise Gossip of Flames. That chance meeting led to Lynn becoming the producer of Gossip of Flames.
An entrepreneur and expert in sherry wines, Africano journeyed to Granada, Spain as a side trek while on a trip to Jerez to develop his own portfolio of barrel-selected wines (set for national release in 2021). Atop the hillside slopes where Mirador de San Nicolás towers over the city, a vision struck for the outpouring of "Mirador." Africano flashed to some months past when his car was towed while parked outside of Church of Saint Nicholas in Brooklyn. He had left the car for a quick drink at a local bar, and upon returning, he knew a life lession would eventually be learned but was overwhelmed at the time with the disappearance of his car. Six months later, he found himself outside of Mirador de San Nicolás and the epiphany came that "Mirador" was in fact in the role of being a protector looking out for him.
"It was a beautiful moment looking out over the city of Granada, and I just had this overwhelming feeling that Mirador de San Nicolás was keeping us safe," says Africano. "It was as if Mirador de San Nicolás were a caretaker in a sense. I fastidiously dug into Saint Nicolas, and continued my love of discovering the works of Spanish writer Federico Garcia Lorca. This all brings a bit of Spain to an Americana song, "Mirador.'"
Gossip of Flames spotlights two recording sessions, the first of which includes many of Nashville's finest musicians. Lera Lynn is in the producer's chair while co-writing and singing on nearly every track. GRAMMY Award-winning Craig Alvin (Kacey Musgraves) engineered the album at Sound Emporium with Africano performing alongside Todd Lombardo (guitars, keys, slide), Robby Handley (bass), Chris Lippincott (piano, keys, pedal steel), and Jason Cheek (drums). Four songs on Gossip of Flames were engineered by Lombardo and performed/recorded with the trio of him, Africano, and Lynn.
Africano is no stranger to the stages of New York City and country/folk bars across the country as a touring artist. He's had songs in the films "Southbound" and "Four Corners Road." Africano has also written with an array of renowned songwriters including the late Felix McTeigue (Florida Georgia Line's "Anything Goes") and Alexz Johnson.
The full album announcement for Gossip of Flames is set for June 2021. For additional information regarding Nick Africano, please visit: nickafricano.com
