Issue Nº1: Interview with Nic Bisgaard

As I enter a local tea shop in Greenwich Village, I immediately spot Nic Bisgaard dressed in vibrant blues with a detailed flower inked on his cheekbone. I ask him if the inked flower is real — prompting Nic to laugh and shook his head no. Later, we move on to talk about more important things in his life: music, influences, and dope, color-coded iPhone apps.

Q: Where do you go to school? What do you study?

A: I go to NYU. I’m studying recorded music and social sciences at Gallatin, but I might change the second part to something else. I don’t know. Definitely music though.

Q: Where are you from?

A: I lived in the suburbs in Connecticut before I moved out here [Manhattan] for school.

Q: Have you always been making music?

A: I really don’t have any hobbies outside of music. I’ve met all my friends through music, all we talk about is rappers. I really spent all my formative years watching rapper interviews on like Hot 97, and Sway and Big Boy; so that’s really all I’m interested in: listening to, making, discussing, and learning about music.

Q: What and/or who inspired you to start making music?

A: I think it’s just something I’ve always naturally thought was cool. Like I used to try and make rock songs in GarageBand when I first got my laptop in like 5th or 6th grade. My favorite artist is André 3000, but I’m really inspired by Tyler, The Creator. So, the stuff I’m making now, and the way I make my songs is really influenced by him.

Q: What inspires you about Tyler, The Creator and Andre 3000?

A: I’m just inspired by any artist that shows me something I haven’t seen before. I mean, obviously I don’t just like every super weird experimental track, but I really appreciate people going left and expanding the horizons for kids making music in the future.

Q: You mentioned you started messing around with GarageBand in 5th or 6th grade. What type of thing were you making back then?

A: Back then I was making rock songs. I wasn’t really making beats or anything, just writing like angsty emo rock stuff over Garageband loops. I remember thinking that I would put the songs out anonymously so people would take them more seriously when I was at the top of the iTunes charts because I was like 12 .

I’m working on this album that I’ve been working on for like a year, but I can’t stay in the same head space long enough to really attach myself to a concept which has made it a super long process. Shouldn’t be too long now though. But if it is I’ll put out some singles or something haha. I did a bunch of stuff with Akari/JT that’ll be out at some point but I have no idea when. Just trying to make sure everything fully meets my standards.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I’d say I’m like in the middle of finding a sound right now, because, up until this point, all of my songs that I’ve chosen to put out have all sounded super different. I put so few out with so much time between them. But since I’m trying to actually like make a project now, I’d say I’m just trying to make songs that feel like being outside. I really draw a lot from “WOLF” and Steve Lacy is another huge influence on me right now.

Q: What’s your dream project?

A: I really want to not be limited by medium and just make projects with video and music and writing and art and everything. Just like something very vast, but not straightforward, cause that’s the type of art I like the most. In high school, that’s always what I really gravitated towards. Albums like “Because The Internet” or “WOLF”, that sonically sound crazy – but they have a lot of details that you really need to pay attention to fully appreciate – definitely shaped my taste into what it is now. But yeah I guess I just want to make something super layered that you could really get invested in.

Q: Do you write, produce, and mix all of your projects?

A: I write all my songs, but I can’t really mix. Akari has been mixing all my verses and beats and everything. I produce most of my songs too, but I do ask Akari for help sometimes cause I have literally no music knowledge. I just kind of fuck around until I have something I like, and then me and him clean it up to make it sound more legit. I do have a lot of beats on my album that are just me though – maybe 2/3 of them.

Q: What project are you most proud of to date, in any field?

A: I have these three beats on my album that I haven’t put out yet that I’m super proud of. The intros of the 3rd song and the 7th song are all pretty crazy. Honestly though, I’m not super proud of anything I’ve released so far. I always end up hating on what I put out a couple weeks after I release it; but, it’s definitely just cause I’m scrutinizing it way more than anybody else – since its my work. I’m putting so much energy and thought into this project I’m on now cause I want to have something that I’ll want to stand behind and genuinely enjoy years down the line.

Q: What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned while making music?

A: Don’t force anything, and be genuine.