Nicole Bus

Last updated

Nicole Bus
Nicole Bus.png
Bus during an interview in October 2019
Background information
Born Nieuwegein, Netherlands
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active2006–present
Labels
Website www.nicolebus.com

Nicole Bus is a Dutch singer who is currently signed to Roc Nation. Her 2018 single, "You", is tied for the fastest debut single to reach the top of the Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart. She released her American debut studio album, Kairos, in October 2019. Prior to signing to Roc Nation, Bus had released a variety of music in the Netherlands and won the Grote Prijs van Nederland ("Grand Prize of the Netherlands") in the singer-songwriter category in 2010. She also appeared on the Dutch singing competition programs, X Factor and The Voice of Holland .

Contents

Early life and education

Nicole Bus was born in Nieuwegein, Netherlands [1] and grew up partially in the municipality of Houten. Her father is Dutch and her mother is Afro-Curaçaoan. Bus was raised in church where she sang and learned how to play a variety of instruments, including guitar, piano, drums, bass, and synthesizers. She began writing songs at age 11. [2] When she was 16, Bus was briefly homeless after her parents separated. [3] In 2006, however, she was a supporting act for American gospel musician, Canton Jones. She also toured as a gospel singer to locations like Israel, Palestine, Nicaragua, [4] and Indonesia in 2008. She would later attend the Pop Academie in Utrecht and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam where she studied music and vocal work and received her diploma in 2016. [2]

Career

In 2009, Bus won a gospel music competition. She followed that by being awarded the Grote Prijs van Nederland ("Grand Prize of the Netherlands") in the singer-songwriter category in 2010. [2] The following year, she released the studio album, The Heart of the Matter on Bladehammer through EMI Netherlands. [5] [6] In 2013, she auditioned for the fifth season of the Dutch singing competition series, X Factor, but did advance beyond the judges. [7] Later that year, she appeared on the fourth season of the singing competition series, The Voice of Holland, where she advanced to the quarterfinals. [8]

In May 2016, she released an EP of Dutch-language tracks called Nederlandse Bodem [9] with the singles, "Zonnestralen" [2] and "Lopen". [3] The project was released by the Dutch label, TopNotch. [2] She later opened for Sandra van Nieuwland on several dates in November and December 2016. [10] In March 2017, she released a Dutch-language album entitled, Magnolia, also through TopNotch. She also taught music lessons at various schools during that time. [11]

Later in 2017, Atlanta-based producer, Needlz, posted an Instagram video featuring Bus' vocals. The Instagram video caught the attention of Roc Nation executives [12] and prompted them to contact Needlz and Bus. [13] In the meantime, she released an independent English-language EP entitled, T.O.T.A, in late 2017. [14] She was ultimately signed to Roc Nation in 2018. [15]

In December of that year, [16] she released her first Roc Nation single, "You", which was produced by Needlz. The single features quoted lyrics from The Charmels' "As Long as I've Got You" and a sample of the Wu Tang Clan's "C.R.E.A.M.". It also became a radio hit in the US, reaching 5.5 million listeners by January 2019 and [17] ultimately topping the Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart in a record-tying amount of time for a debut single (8 weeks). [18] "You" also received several remixes, including those from Ghostface Killah [19] and Rick Ross. [8] In the ensuing months, Bus performed at a number of events, including Summer Jam, [20] Femme It Forward, [21] and the Essence Music Festival. She also opened for Common on his "Let Love Tour" in July 2019. [22]

That month, she released her second single, "Mr. Big Shot", [23] which would also reach the Adult R&B Songs chart, peaking at number 19. [24] In August of that year, she performed a Tiny Desk Concert for NPR Music. [25] On 18 October 2019, she released her American debut studio album, Kairos, on Roc Nation. [26] "Kairos" is the Greek word for "appointed time". The album is co-produced by Bus herself, Needlz, [27] and TL Cross. [28]

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums with selected details
TitleDetails
U Alleen [29]
  • Released: 2010 (NED)
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: Digital download
The Heart of the Matter
Magnolia
  • Released: 17 March 2017 (NED)
  • Label: TopNotch
  • Formats: Digital download
Kairos
  • Released: 18 October 2019 (US)
  • Label: Roc Nation
  • Formats: Digital download

EPs

List of studio albums with selected details
TitleDetails
Nederlandse Bodem
  • Released: May 2016 (NED)
  • Label: TopNotch
  • Formats: Digital download
T.O.T.A
  • Release date: 8 December 2017 (US)
  • Label: Centillionaire Records
  • Formats: Digital download

Singles

TitleYearPeak chart positionsAlbum
US
Adult
R&B 		US R&B US
R&B/HH
Air
"You"20181
[30] 		15
[31] 		12
[32] 		Kairos
"Mr. Big Shot"201919
[24] 		—45
[33]
"Rain"202014
[24] 		—49
[33]

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References

  1. ↑ Mertens, Dieuwertje (24 November 2011). "In de jas: Nicole Bus". de Brug Krant (in Dutch). Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 van Gijssel, Robert (7 August 2016). "Ik schreef Zonnestralen omdat ik wil dat mensen stoppen met zeiken". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  3. 1 2 van Veluw, Rick (22 July 2016). "In de tent met... Nicole Bus". CJP (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 18 October 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  4. ↑ Kemp, Ivan (13 January 2019). "Nicole Bus timmert hard aan de weg". Love My Roots (in Dutch). Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  5. ↑ Kellman, Andy (July 2019). "Nicole Bus – Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  6. ↑ "Nicole Bus werkt samen met Bladehammer Music". The Men-O (in Dutch). 12 April 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  7. ↑ "X Factor 2013: aflevering 4 – De laatste auditie". Script Girl (in Dutch). 10 May 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  8. 1 2 Moorwood, Victoria (23 April 2019). "Nicole Bus Talks Upcoming Album, Neo Soul & Signing To Roc Nation". HipHopDX. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  9. ↑ Schavemaker, Peter (13 June 2016). "Nicole Bus: "Mijn teksten bestaan uit Oud Hollands, de straattaal, dialecten, spreekwoorden en Algemeen Beschaafd Nederlands"". Reporters Online (in Dutch). Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  10. ↑ "Nicole Bus support-act Sandra van Nieuwland". Top Billin (in Dutch). 25 October 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  11. ↑ Selvi, Berkan (17 March 2017). "nicole bus bloeit op met haar nieuwe album 'magnolia'". i-D (in Dutch). Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  12. ↑ "Producer Needlz gives Insider Perspective to the staying Power of R&B Artist Nicole Bus". The Source. 15 July 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  13. ↑ "How Roc Nation Singer Nicole Bus Got Discovered From Instagram". BET. 14 June 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  14. ↑ Alvarez, Lauren (26 April 2019). "How The Soulful Emerging Artist Nicole Bus Plans On Bringing Back Music Samples". Forbes. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  15. ↑ Zellner, Xander (20 March 2019). "R&B Singers Nicole Bus, The Bonfyre & Kiana Ledé Debut on Emerging Artists Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  16. ↑ "Nicole Bus Presents Her Ode To Black Men In 'You'". Soul Bounce. 12 December 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  17. ↑ Leight, Elias (29 January 2019). "See Nicole Bus' Glittering Video for Breakout Single 'You'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  18. ↑ Zellner, Xander (15 May 2019). "Nicole Bus Ties Record for Fastest-Rising Adult R&B No. 1 for a Debut Hit". Billboard. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  19. ↑ Kreps, Daniel (25 January 2019). "Hear Ghostface Killah Add Fresh Verses to 'C.R.E.A.M.' Beat on Nicole Bus' 'You'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  20. ↑ Cole, Vernessa (9 April 2019). "Nicole Bus...A New Voice That is Here to Stay". Hot 97. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  21. ↑ "Cardi B, Brandy, City Girls to Headline 'Femme It Forward' Concerts and Events". Variety. 16 April 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  22. ↑ Mitchell, Michael (9 July 2019). "Nicole Bus Announce 'Let Love' Tour Dates with Common". Rhythmic. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  23. ↑ Trapp, Malcolm (19 July 2019). "R&B Singer Nicole Bus Delivers "Mr. Big Shot" Ahead Of Forthcoming Debut Album". Respect Magazine. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  24. 1 2 3 "Adult R&B Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  25. ↑ O'Neill, Abby (21 August 2019). "Nicole Bus: Tiny Desk Concert". NPR. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  26. ↑ Scott, Sydney (18 October 2019). "Roc Nation's New Artist Nicole Bus Drops Debut Album 'KAIROS'". Essence. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  27. ↑ "BREAKOUT DUTCH R&B/SOUL ARTIST NICOLE BUS ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM KAIROS OUT OCTOBER 18TH". Radio Facts. 6 October 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  28. ↑ "Nicole Bus Interview: "You" Success, Signing To Roc Nation, New Album (Exclusive)". You Know I Got Soul. 20 July 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  29. ↑ "Giovanca brengt zwoele soul in Gebouw-T". Boz in Beeld (in Dutch). 2 April 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  30. ↑ "Adult R&B Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  31. ↑ "Hot R&B Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  32. ↑ "R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  33. 1 2 "R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
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