Daily Discovery is a daily feature that will highlight a new or recently discovered artist that we’re excited about. See the rest of our Daily Discoveries here.
Creativity is a strange thing. Some creatives apply outside-the-box thinking to solve problems, while others use it to make art. Some visually creative geniuses couldn’t learn an instrument to save their lives, and some musical geniuses are uncomfortable with a paint brush in their hands. And then there are the creatives who can do it all. Los Angeles artist Young & Sick is this kind of creative.
Hailing from the Netherlands, Young & Sick (real name: Nick) had early success with his catchy music, and his acquaintances soon realized he was also a talented visual artist. He worked with Mark Foster (of Foster The People), and soon enough his art was being used in Apple commercials and he was handling the creative direction for artists like Robin Thicke and Maroon 5.
As far as visual art versus music, Nick doesn’t really see any separation. “I’ve always seen them as connected, as ultimately I am one artist,” he says. “Now it just makes the most sense together. I’ve always done both at the same time. As a kid I started drawing on everything while drumming on everything I could get my hands on. I guess that is kind of how it always starts. My days are generally always split 50-50 between art and music.”
Young & Sick’s music is vibrant pop with a twist of soul and jazz influences and layered vocal harmonies. While bright in tone, the lyrics touch on heartbreak and pain for a stark contrast as striking as his illustrations. After slowly and steadily releasing singles, Young & Sick is finally ready to drop his debut album. The self-titled project drops on April 8 via Harvest Records.
“I think creativity can be applied to anything really,” Nick explains. “Illustrations and music are obvious forms of creativity, but so are the ideas that go behind marketing a project, releases, etc. If anything, working to be creative in different areas really just pushes the boundaries of all the mediums.”
Young & Sick tracklist:
01) Mangrove
02) Heartache Fetish
03) Ghost of a Chance
04) Counting Raindrops
05) Feel Pain
06) Gloom
07) Glass
08) Valium
09) Nowhere
10) Twentysomething
