Nicole Saphos

About the Artist

Singer/songwriter/multi instrumentalist Nicole Saphos’ musical identity can be categorized somewhere between jazz and indie rock. Upon graduating from Temple University in 2012 with a Jazz Performance degree, the Los Angeles native relocated to DC, and began her professional music career in earnest. To date, she’s released two critically acclaimed albums, Tiptoe [2016] and Buzz & Bloom [2018], and has performed at venerated venues such as The Kennedy Center, Rockwood Music Hall, and The Smithsonian American Art Museum, among others. Her latest musical endeavor — the twelve-track live album Takoma Sessions — was recorded in Takoma Park, MD over the course of three in-studio concerts in the Fall of 2019, and will be released on June 12th alongside a short film highlighting the concert series and recording process. With a stylistic nod to artists like Dirty Projectors and Aimee Mann, Takoma Sessions delivers a sequence of groove-heavy, pop-friendly originals, complimented by bold vocal harmonies.

Artist's Statement

Nicole received her B.M. from Temple University in 2012, where she studied Jazz Bass and Vocal Performance. In the years since, she has worked tirelessly to develop her facility and creative range of expression with her voice and upright bass. Drawing inspiration from a personalized cocktail of musical styles, the applicant’s compositions reflect her diverse background as a jazz instrumentalist, vocalist, and avid listener of alternative pop music. Recent accomplishments include; two critically acclaimed albums, a performance at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and becoming the first songwriter invited to attend an artist residency at Haystack School of Crafts.