NickNervous has been named as a Semi-Finalist for their two songs "A Ghost" & "Human" in the Folk/Singer-Songwriter Category UnsignedOnly division at the 2015 International Music Competition. 

The semi-finalists will now be narrowed down to a group of finalists. These finalists will be announced in the next few weeks and will then be sent to our celebrity judges who will select the winners. Winners will be announced in early September or as soon as the judging is complete.

Some of this years  celebrity judging panel include...Sinead O'Connor, Robert Smith of "The Cure", The Killers, David Crowder, Kool & the Gang, Kyle Anderson from Entertainment Weekly, Shirley Halperin from Billboard/Hollywood Reporter, Anthony Curtis from Rolling Stone & Hardeep Phull of the NewYork Post...just to name a few!  

Congrats NN girls & best of luck to you in the next round!

Nick Nervous was excited to recieve honors for songwriting in the May issue of SongwriterUniverse.

The song "A Ghost" from their first EP release was listed in the Top Five Songs for the Month. Along with a mention in the online article & the prize of a $200 pro-membership to BroadJam, the girls have been recieving attention from songwriters & music lovers all across the globe.

Songwriter Universe Exec. Dale Kawashima, noted that "one of the most recent successes of SWU Contest Top Five finalist  is the now mega-star Megan Trainor. All it takes is the right song, being heard at the right time, by the right people...you never know what can happen!"

The NickNervous girls are thrilled to be new members of the ExperienceMusicGroup family!

visit: Experiencemusicgroup.com

Idaho sisters NickNervous new EP combines skillful songwriting with a blend of inspirations that produces a joyously eclectic sound.

I think it’s pretty much impossible to nail a combination as perfect as the human voice and an acoustic guitar. The instrument might be just a piece of wood, a few metallic parts and some strings, but combined with the drive and emotional response of a performer with something to say, it becomes a vehicle for stories, feelings, moods and even entire lives.

NickNervous is a band that personifies this combination. Consisting of Idaho-based sisters Caiti & Kelsi Fadness, NickNervous set out to embody the spirit of folk song-writers and expand that particular footprint with broader sonic landscapes. Their Americana influences and relatable indie-pop melodies echo artists the likes of First Aid Kit, Idiot Wind and Of Monsters and Men, just to name a few.

The duo’s sound owes a lot to the tantalising contrast of old and new, as timeless folk / country tradition blends in with modern s¬ensibilities in a seamless and effortless way. These girls sing from their heart, and the haunting landscapes of their songs resonate as deep as the scopes of their introspective lyrics.

On new EP The Art of Breaking Down the uplifting, yet intimate vibe of “Human” makes for a truly bittersweet song, while the decadent melancholia of “A Ghost” reminds me of artists such as Devics.

If those songs felt like twilight, “Hiding” is like the sunshine in the morning waking you up with its sheer brightness coming through your shutters, opening the doors to a brighter and dreamier side of the EP that reaches its apex with the original blend of folk and 80s aesthetics on the title track.

The Final track, Wanderlust, blends in the sisters’ folk harmonies and rhythm guitars with some truly grandiose stadium-size percussions and lush reverb tones for a truly epic closing number.

One of the most interesting things of the entire EP is how NickNervous are able to exploit their diverse dynamic range, going from really quiet and personal moments to uplifting crowd-engaging experiences that transcend genre definitions to reach out for something higher.

If you haven’t checked out this duo yet then you’re missing out. Their EP is below for your listening pleasure, what are you waiting for? If you like it, don’t forget to buy it from iTunes here (link opens in new window).

BY BEN CORKE · Editor MusicBlogged.com

The girls were excited to read their first ever review on an Indie blog...especially when the article began with the words "These girls have got it". They are amazed and grateful for the enthusiastic review!

• These girls have got it. NickNervous is the next big thing, and here's why.
• The sister duo (Caiti & Kelsi Fadness) not only have a really cool last name, but their music is undeniably great. Yes, it's got the indie-mellow groove vibe of acts like Lorde and the folk vibe of The Lumineers, but it's also got something else - musicians who sound like they actually understand their instruments. NickNervous has got the maturity of seasoned musicians and the young vibrance of a garage band at the same time.

• The track "A Ghost" showcases the playful nature of the duet, with fun yet haunting lyrics ('There's a ghost in my bed'). It also features a banjo and electronic drums, which creates an equally eerie yet fun atmosphere.

• My personal favorite is "Wanderlust," an indie anthem reminiscent of The Temper Trap. It's got a real feel-good vibe that sounds like it would be placed in an "epic" trailer for the next big AAA-Hollywood feature film.

• This is a group you MUST check out. MUST. If I were to give out number ratings, I would give NickNervous a 9.9 out of 10.

• NickNervous is currently a feature on the cover page... check out the blog here:

           .....http://www.themusicfarmer.com

EP Review: The Art of Breaking Down

The Art of Breaking Down is the debut EP from Idaho based sisters, NickNervous. The clever named band, who took their title from their dad’s 80’s band, is anything but 1980’s chic. In actuality, they are deep, intelligent and create harmonies that are simply addictive.

When first listening to the EP, you are met with, and almost bathed, in haunting vocals, light acoustic guitar and emotion-packed lyrics.

The opener, Human, almost takes on a bit of a country-western vibe, with subtle banjo and tempered tambourine. The lyrics tell the flurried emotion of holding onto a relationship, even if it may impact us negatively. It tells the story of holding onto something we love, even if that love isn’t good for us.

This track alludes to the song’s title, it shows that we all get hurt and we’re all selfish and we all come back for more...because we're human.

While the opener dealt with humans, the second track, A Ghost, is a bit different. The lyrics tell the story of empty words, empty promises all coming from, a ghost in my house/my bed.

It tells the story of a haunting past love. As if there's a strange air when you've had your heart broken.. It follows you around everywhere and you're the only one who can feel the intensity of it.

The continuity in this EP is one that should be taken note of. In the era of single-based projects, The EP, The Art of Breaking Down, tells a story. There is continuity, a solid one that exists from start to finish.

Hiding, has similar lyrical structure, but the piece slowly begins to transform into something a bit more robust. Gone are the subtle banjos and tambourine, and instead we’re met with a stripped down guitar, and minimal percussion--aside from some brilliantly timed claps that echo like gunshots into the verses.

The title track, The Art of Breaking Down, further discusses the spiral of heartbreak. It’s a beautifully composed piece that builds into a wonderful climax of a chorus. It almost serves as a resolution where our narrator makes peace with what’s crumbling, and what she’s been discussing in the previous songs.

Wonderlust, ends on a high note. It echoes some tremendous harmonization from the duo, that showcases their incredible synchronicity. Again, it echoes the theme of the EP. After the breakdown, our narrator is looking for more, has always been searching and is questioning the consequences of it.

All in all, the EP is an incredible listen from start to finish. NickNervous brings to the table a certain home-town folk sound, while still incorporating an element of indie rock and pop that can be enjoyed by all.

The production and song structure is also incredibly executed. If you listen, you’ll hear minimal piano, hand claps, tambourine or mandolin--it’s these small details that really piece this entire project together.

The main draw of the EP, is the spot-on vocals from the sisters. Their harmonization really seems to be a combination of raw talent, skill and a connection that only two sisters could possibly have.

W.Tyler Allen
MIP/Music Critic

TWIN FALLS • Sisters Caiti and Kelsi Fadness reunited in Twin Falls to launch a musical career as NickNervous, a duo performing a blend of Americana, folk and pop.
They released their first CD in December, the five-song EP  “The Art of Breaking Down,” during a party at The Brickhouse attended by more than 200 people.

Now they’ve written about 25 more songs and are working on another CD as they prepare to perform Jan. 25 at the High Dive in Seattle.

They plan to tour the Northwest this spring with local drummer Dillon Falusi.

“The end goal is to have a career in music,” Caiti said.

The sisters had been working separately — Kelsi in Seattle, Caiti in Nashville.

When they wound up in Twin Falls at the same time, Kelsi said, she took it as a sign that they needed to be a team. They hadn’t performed together since a Twin Falls talent show five years ago, she said.

Kelsi said she returned home after a break-up with her boyfriend that inspired her to compose songs. She started recording them with their father, Greg Fadness, and those songs made up the first CD.

Next, Caiti said, “I came home for a visit and started helping my dad with scratch vocals for Kelsi. It just formed into a thing from there. He sent me a song, and I just loved the way it sounded.”

Without music, the sisters might never have been born. Their parents met when Pam Fadness was at a friend’s band rehearsal in Los Angeles and heard Greg’s band playing down the hall. She decided to investigate, and “I stayed in that room the whole time,” Pam said.

The name NickNervous is an homage to their father’s 1980s group, Nick Nervous and the Breakdown.

The sisters now record all their music in the studio at Lighthouse Christian Fellowship, where Greg is lead pastor and Pam is director of missions and women’s ministry.

Then they send their recordings to L.A. to be mastered.

“It does have a polished sound,” Kelsi said. “You wouldn’t think it was the three of us sitting in a little room in Twin Falls. There was so much love in it.”

So far, NickNervous has performed at local restaurants and events. “People have been really supportive,” Caiti said.

In an effort to reach new listeners, they have uploaded several YouTube videos shot with an iPhone in a bathroom.

“What’s the best-sounding room that we could use? A bathroom,” Caiti said. “You got to get creative with what you’ve got.”

“We decided to make it as weird as possible,” Kelsi added with a laugh.

NickNervous now is working on an official video. They have recorded covers of “Cool Kids” by Echosmith and “All I Want” by Kodaline. Other influences include Ingrid Michaelson, Sleeping At Last, The Staves, Coldplay and Lana Del Rey.

“We’ve done a lot of covers. Generally, people don’t want to hear your music until you sing someone else’s,” Kelsi said.

But hundreds of other groups also do covers. So when Echosmith “liked” their video online, Kelsi said, it was exciting and encouraging.

Producers in Los Angeles encouraged NickNervous to submit two songs — “Human” and “Hiding” — to be considered for film and television.

“We want to go until we can’t any more,” Kelsi said.

NickNervous has a refreshing depth to their songwriting that takes you on a new journey with each song. As I listen to their new EP, I’m already looking forward to seeing where they will go next!"

Jason Houser, Grammy nominated songwriter, producer, Founder of Extreme Writers Group, Nashville"

We have a local band in Twin Falls called ‘NickNervous.’ I have to admit that before today I wasn’t familiar with them… but now I absolutely love them. And I think you will too.

NickNervous is Caiti and Kelsi Fadness, an incredibly talented singer-songwriter duo that just happen to be sisters. According to them, while originally from California, they have had the “pleasure of growing up most of their lives in the very big small town of Twin Falls, Idaho.”

I would describe their music as Indie Folk that’s heavily influenced by modern pop and just a hint of an alternative edge. Their hooks are memorable, the melodies are infectious, the lyrics are well-crafted, and Caiti and Kelsi sound absolutely incredible.

You can listen to “A Ghost,” the debut single from NickNervous right now. You can purchase ‘A Ghost’ right now from the iTunes Store.

I would say that “A Ghost” is my absolute favorite track on the EP. As it begins I can hear shades of Patsy Cline, but as the song evolves and opens up you can hear the wide array of musical influences that have created NickNervous. “The Art of Breaking Down” is a huge, incredible, symphonic pop track that would be right at home on any Top 40 playlist.
I truly hope NickNervous has a long and amazing career ahead of them. They’re off to an incredible start.

Read More: Local Twin Falls Band NickNervous Debuts Amazing New CD | http://kezj.com/local-twin-falls-band-nicknervous-debuts-amazing-new-cd-want-to-win-it-contest/?trackback=tsmclip