Nikolai Nikobar

MUSIC MANIFESTO

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The guitar was first picked up in 2011 on the edge of an orangutan forest reserve in Sumatra, Indonesia. I wrote my first song there and have been playing and writing songs ever since, covering a diverse range of issues and topics. The guitar, songwriting and performing are a means of therapy in a world gone mad and a way to communicate alternative, controversial and taboo ideas for wider social awareness and change. Art as activism is more important to me than art as entertainment or easy listening, although an entertaining factor is something I would like to nurture in order for my songs to reach a wider audience.

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The normal routes of the music industry and music business, such as excessive social media engagement, touring, marketing, merchandise, promotion and propaganda hold little interest for me and I would much rather spend my time in some natural environment that has not been destroyed yet, playing the guitar, singing and writing new songs.

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Occasionally you may see me performing live at some open mic night or event, as long as it does not require too much stress to get there. I prefer keeping my performances real, imperfect and living, as opposed to manufactured, slick and useful for car advertisements. I am happy to meet other musicians who would like to record and produce songs together for fun, as the situation arises.

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I write songs about the topics that interest me and the things that I really care about. I do not write songs for what people want to hear in order to get more likes and fans, but if you do resonate with any of these songs, I am super chuffed about that and I hope you will share them with your friends.

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Music, songwriting and performance are an area of focus for me, among other interests. All of my songs, and this music manifesto, are living and breathing and may change over time. Nothing is carved in stone.

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Thanks for listening!

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