Premiere: "Darlin" by Nick Shattuck

“Darlin” by Nick Shattuck

Exclusive premiere for Wolf in a Suit of something beautiful and utterly amazing, say hello to “Darlin” by singer/songwriter Nick Shattuck. I am honored to not only share a song this wonderful but also to have had the chance to interview the talented author of this gem. So listen, enjoy it and get know the man, the artists, this singer/songwriter and a bit of the story behind his music.

“I’m howling as I type this……everyone’s looking at me weird…”

Interview

-What inspired “Darlin”?

“Darlin” is inspired by the first bits of light you see after crawling out of the darker moments in life.

-How would you describe your music?

I’ve always described my music as honest. I’ve never claimed to be the best singer or writer in the world, but I can confidently say that if you come to a live show and listen, you’ll FEEL me, you’ll believe me. Also sometimes I just call it indie folk, haha!

-On a daily basis, what would you say inspires you to think of a tune, a verse or eve a little beat?

I’ve always pulled a lot of inspiration from my natural surroundings. Growing up in a small town in Western Wisconsin it was the Mississippi River & the Bluffs and now that I’m in L.A. it’s a combination of the ocean, cliffs, and endless sea of city lights.

-How would you describe your songwriting process?

My songwriting process definitely varies with each song. Sometimes the entire song will come to me almost instantly, other times just the melody and later the words. Sometimes I’ll be walking down the sidewalk and lyrics will pop up into my head that I’ll find a melody to later. It varies so much that I don’t think I really even have a “process”. I understand the importance of sitting and writing and making that a habit, but my best songs, which usually are the most honest, just come to me.

-Name an artist that truly hits the mark in every way for you to call him/her/them a driving force that invited you sing, write and enter the world of music?

Super tough question as I listen to almost every genre. Being a Wisconsin boy, I have to say Justin Vernon and Bon Iver really made a mark on me as a songwriter. The way he crafted his melodies in “For Emma, Forever Ago” stays with me today as a reminder that you don’t have to sit down and follow some “songwriting formula”, sometimes you just have to lock yourself in a cabin up North and find the sounds that speak to you the most!

-How did the success of “The Stars” make you feel? How did friends and family react?

Finding a little success on The Stars was a great but fleeting feeling. I think every artist needs to get 100,000 spins on a song so that he/she realizes that in the long run, that really doesn’t mean shit. There’s a lot of pressure to get spins on those digital platforms these days as we see it as accomplishing something. But in reality, it’s just a small piece of the puzzle needed to be truly successful in this industry. Shout out to my buddy Ari Herstand for keeping most of us indie singer/songwriters grounded and pushing us to be the best possible overall artists we can be! Also go buy his book if you haven’t yet, trust me!

“…sometimes you just have to lock yourself in a cabin up North and find the sounds that speak to you the most!”

-The year is coming close to an end, is there something we should be on the lookout from Nick Shattuck?

Man I can’t believe this year is already ending! I guess just keep your eyes and ears open for new music. I’ve made it a pretty big goal to constantly be writing and recording. I recently have been writing and performing on my new Fender Strat so a lot of new sounds and inspirations are on the the horizon! In terms of live music, look for me at The Hotel Cafe in Hollywood on 10/16 for the best Singer/Songwriter night in LA, Monday Monday, hand crafted and hosted by Joel Eckels, and at Hotel Utah (I only play venues that sound like Hotels apparently?) for my San Francisco debut on 11/11!

-What must you do every time before a gig?

I don’t do it every gig, but a couple deep breathes and small glass of tequila never hurts.

-Personal mantra that serves as words that describe you and your music.

STICK TO YOUR GUT!

-One place that marked you as a musician?

La Crosse, WI, will always be my heart.

-Finally…are you ready to howl with the Wolf in a Suit?

I’m howling as I type this……everyone’s looking at me weird…