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‘The Journey’ - The Octopus Division

  ‘The Journey’ - The Octopus Division In ‘The Journey,’ a sonic mosaic unfolds that—permeated by neon-soaked synth pads and a melody that feels like memory—is less a song than a spiritual compass. The time that relentlessly pursues us, according to ‘Time keeps chasing us every day’, is not portrayed as an enemy, but as a constant touchstone that we face with our heads held high: ‘ We won't let the rain wash us away’ . Photography, here metaphorically as a key to the past, opens doors to moments that seem long gone but live on within us. The chorus – a kind of collective mantra – describes not just a journey, but an intertwining of stories that support each other. The garden in which hopes take root becomes a symbol of what must be nurtured in order to flourish. And when ‘ our songs have lost a note or two ’, it is not a flaw, but proof of lived depth. A song that is not meant to be heard, but to be lived through – like a familiar glance at an old photo album by candlelight. b...
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NenesButler

Raw and heartfelt: "Love I really need'' by Nicola Mousicos

Nicola Mousicos

Nicola Mousicos

Drawing inspiration from the likes of Holly Humberstone, Sam Fender, Gatlin and John Mayer, she effortlessly blends her velvet-like vocals and overdriven guitar lines throughout her body of work. Her songs are stories about navigating life’s trickier experiences - personal growth, love and loss, all of which are delivered through her charming melodies, luscious harmonies and modern production.




Q&A

Nicola Mousicos is ...?

... a pop/soft rock singer songwriter hailing from North London, UK.


How did you get into music?

I guess it started when I went to drama school at around the age of 9 - which gave me a lot of confidence performing and doing shows! From the age of 17, I was performing at various showcases around North London then started studying Songwriting at uni and was doing gigs around London both acoustically and with a band! 
I remember being a kid and writing songs with my cousins (which was cute - we performed at every family birthday party) but I started writing properly when I was about 14 years old and knew from then that I really wanted to be a performing singer/songwriter.


"Love I really need'' sounds great, who was your inspiration and how much of "Nicola" can we discover in the song?

Nicola Mousicos, London
Thanks so much! I was listening to ‘Break My Heart Again’ by Finneas around the time of writing it. I really liked how he started the song with questions and a sense of vulnerability that leaves you feeling almost invested in the song, and wanting to know what happens next. 
I’m quite an empathetic person and I like to write from the heart as much as possible - even if it’s not always about my own experiences. I started songwriting because I loved and noticed how it could change my mood (for the better) so I wanted to write something I felt was relatable, but do it as raw and heartfelt as I could.


What's in your opinion the hardest part concerning songwriting?

Trying to articulate how I’m feeling and translating that into a certain amount of words! It’s hard because sometimes you have to be so concise with what you’re saying so it fits with the melody, but then you feel like you’re not putting enough emotion or detail into it. 
That, and redrafting! One word or phrase can be the reason for you having to change a whole verse and that’s SO annoying lol.


What's your favorite Venue in London?

The Royal Albert Hall! I think it’s the prettiest venue, and a legendary one too!


The last artist who really impressed you was ….?

Gatlin! She’s relatively new to me and I’ve been listening to ‘What If I Love You’ and ‘Talking to Myself’ on repeat!


...and last but not least, what’s next for you?

Releasing more music! I’ve got a few more songs lined up after this one and I’m really excited to get them out!

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