Nick Hissom

There is no doubt that Nick Hissom has lead one of the most extraordinary lives of any 23 year old. Born and raised in London, he left his home at age 15 to attend one of the most prestigious international schools in the world, Institut Le Rosey, in Switzerland. There, Nick grew up alongside the financial, political and artistic leaders of the future. During this time, Nick's mother married casino billionaire Steve Wynn following a romance that began on the French riviera. At 17, Hissom was scouted by Ford models and quickly appeared on newsstands in magazines such as GQ and Interview, and in advertising campaigns for Tommy Hilfiger, while also obtaining his degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

Despite Nick's many opportunities, no one understands better than when you've been as lucky as he has, the most important thing is to give back. For Nick, this means sharing his experiences and message with the world through music.

Nick explains his decision with honest simplicity. “When I started thinking of what I wanted to do with my life, the resounding answer was to inspire as many people as I could in the most impactful way possible. Music is the universal language which we all empathize with. It is blind to all prejudice and negativity and that’s why it is the medium through which I sought to create love and happiness in others. The power of music is only rivaled by the power of love."

"I want my music to evoke an energy of love, because I believe that love is the key to happiness. Growing up having everything allowed me to realize at an early age that happiness is not about the car you drive or the house you live in, but about the love you share with people. That's why I named my album 'Love Energy' - because all my love and energy went into making it, and because I want the music to create love and inspiration in everybody who hears it. If I succeed in doing that then I've succeeded in brightening someone's day, and making the world a better place," Nick explains.

He’s fun, cool, humbled, and music-loving. A social media star, and an established artist that is moving toward the all-important next step in his career. He is also honest, kind, and a songwriter with a true message, penning life experiences that are well beyond his years in an effort to inspire others and connect with them on the deepest level.

Nick's journey in music started in his high school dormitory, where he and his roommate began writing songs. "They were terrible," laughs Hissom, "it took me years of writing before I could even set foot in a real studio, and even then it was really just a basement with a mic and some foam on the walls." From there, Hissom sent his demos to various DJs, and got a bite from Denver-based DJ duo Manufactured Superstars. Nick's first record with Manufactured Superstars, 'Killin' Tonight', debuted in 2012 with a performance Memorial Day weekend at Tryst nightclub in Las Vegas. Hissom then performed with Manufactured Superstars main stage at the Electric Daisy Carnival and at the legendary Red Rocks amphitheater - creating a solid fanbase on social media. However, Nick realized that a real career in music takes much more than a hot start. It takes timeless songs and a marathon work ethic.

And so, Nick returned to the studio, using his small success to book sessions with world-renown producers such as Dallas Austin (Madonna, P!nk, Michael Jackson), and Mick Schultz (Rihanna, Jeremih). The latter of which gave Nick his first independent single, 'If I Die Young,' which released July 2013. The anthemic and heartfelt record showcased Nick's smooth and powerful vocals, and it was just what Hissom needed to prove that no matter what, he was here to stay. It was also just what Nick needed to catch the eye of music management mogul, Larry Rudolph (Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Steven Tyler).

Nick signed to Larry Rudolph in 2014, and was introduced to multi-diamond mega producer Steve Morales (Celine Dion, Enrique Iglesias, Christina Aguilera, Santana) in April 2015. Morales and Hissom's first track, 'Love Energy' was completed shortly afterward. "The minute it was finished I knew that was it," Nick recalls, "I sent it to Larry [Rudolph], and 5 minutes later he texts me back in full caps 'THIS IS F*KING AWESOME!!!!'... To hear someone of his experience tell me I was on to something was a huge moment for me."

Nick spent the remainder of summer 2015 with Morales, moving into the producer's home studio in Miami to continue work on the album. By July of 2015, 'Love Energy', the EP, was complete. Since Hissom’s international lifestyle has included exposure to some of the world’s biggest DJ’s and entry into the hottest nightclubs, an experience he credits with his developing a passion for music and eventually singing and writing his own songs. His first-ever live performance was an appearance with Manufactured Superstars at a Memorial Day Weekend party at Vegas nightclub Tryst. His second was performing in front of 50,000 people at the Electric Daisy Carnival with Manufactured Superstars. Hissom’s talent has led to his shooting a music video with Kenny Ortega (Michael Jackson’s This is It) and working with the music producers Dallas Austin (Janet Jackson, Madonna) and Mick Schultz (Jeremih, Zendaya). The latter produced Hissom’s debut single “If I Die Young,” an EDM-influenced pop confection about living for the moment that has become a European hit and climbed to No.1 in Turkey within 48 hours of release.

Despite his rarefied upbringing, Hissom is a grounded and hard-working individual whose drive to make music comes from wanting to infuse others’ lives with the same good feelings he’s been fortunate enough to experience. “Music, for me, is about making people happy,” he says. “Yes, I’ve had amazing things happen, but none of it matters if you’re alone. Fame and money mean nothing if you don't have good people around you and you can't share what you have.”

To that end, Hissom is drawn to making feel-good music that brings his natural European sophistication to American audiences. His sound combines the buoyant energy of pop vocals and melodies with the edgy beats of deep house, a genre that already dominates the charts in the U.K. and is rising in popularity in the U.S. Hissom cites Disclosure’s “Latch,” Robin Schulz’ remix of Mr. Probz’ “Waves,” and Clean Bandit’s “Rather Be” as akin to what he’s trying to accomplish, and also names pop icons Michael Jackson, will.i.am, and Justin Timberlake as influences. “However when it comes to performing, I like big production, lots of dancing, and the spectacle that artists like Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, and Justin Timberlake create,” he says. “If I had to perform with just a guitar sitting in a chair for an hour singing…well, that’s just not me.”

Deciding to launch a music career wasn’t exactly a conventional choice for Hissom. As a young teenager, he was more interested in the stock market than what was being played on the radio. “I bought my first stock when I was 13 — Apple. I bought it at $50 a share and sold it at $70. I thought I was a genius,” he says with a laugh. Hissom thought he’d go into the family commercial real estate business. “I've always loved architecture and design and I can understand the flow and feel of a room and how that affects the emotions of the people entering it,” he explains. But fate intervened when a modeling scout found 17-year-old Hissom on Facebook. He spent the next several years juggling his college course-work with modeling, signing with agencies in London, Paris, Barcelona, Germany, and Denmark. But being a young male model isn’t as glamorous as one would think.

“I went to Paris for Fashion Week and they're not expecting you to book anything, so it was six guys and me living above the Gare du Nord train station in a tiny apartment,” he recalls. However, the experience toughened him up for the vagaries of the music industry. Once he told himself he wanted to make music, he recorded covers of Swedish House Mafia’s “Save The World” and The Fray’s “How To Save A Life” and sent them to several DJs he had become acquainted with through his stepfather, hotelier Steve Wynn. Manufactured Superstars’ Bradley Roulier and Shawn Sabo responded and asked him to fly to Denver to record a song called “Killin’ Tonight” with them. “I did final exams in-between recording sessions,” he says. In short order, Hissom shot a music video for the song and went on the road with the duo, an adventure that included a show at Denver’s fabled Red Rocks amphitheater performing in front of 30,000 people. Since then he’s performed in Ibiza and St. Tropez, and graced many red carpets, including at the Billboard Music Awards and the Young Hollywood Awards. He’s also received encouragement from no less a talent-spotter than Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr., who discovered The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye, among many others.

“It's always an honor to be around legends in all industries, but being around them isn’t enough,” Hissom says. “You have to impress them in your own right. They are also the harshest critics in the world. If you don't live up to their standards from day one, they’ll never work with you again.”

Hissom continues to aim high as he begins his next chapter after moving to Los Angeles: signing an artist development deal with powerhouse management entity, ReignDeer Select, led by Larry Rudolph and Rebecca Lambrecht. He is also collaborating with top songwriters and producers on the songs that will appear on his debut album. “Music is an extension of your personality, so you put whatever you're feeling into a song and then send it out into the world and hope that millions of people will connect to you,” he says. “I have been so lucky in life and my greatest joy is to share with other people the things that I have been given, especially telling my story through my music. There’s nothing cooler than that.”