Biography

Nicolette Aubourg is a Singer-songwriter / Artist born to British / South African parents in Durban, South Africa, where she studied and performed music and received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and English Literature before moving to Los Angeles. A frequent contestant in the annual GRAMMY Awards, she has independently released three albums of original songs: “Wild Horse Running Free”, “Songs from Willow Glen” and “Grand View Drive”, as well as releasing nine singles: “I Am Not Hamas - Song for Gaza”, "Requiem for the Racehorses", "The Dog with the Moon in Her Eyes",  "Woodstock in 5/4", (a 5/4 time-signature version of Joni Mitchell's song), "You'll Rise up Again (For South Africa), "Take the Guns Away", "#Freebilly", which advocates the release of Billy the Elephant from the Los Angeles Zoo, “The Invitation” (with lyrics by Oriah Mountain Dreamer) and “Madiba, dedication to Nelson Mandela”. Her songs have received many awards, including two from the Billboard World Song Contest. Nicolette’s music integrates acoustic finger-style guitar-playing with her vocals and harmonies, and her recordings include cello, piano, violin, organ, percussion, bass and drums from some of Los Angeles’ most sought-after musicians. Many of her songs are social commentary on subjects such as the Gaza war, mass shootings in the US, the abuse of racehorses, Apartheid, suicide prevention, and animals suffering in captivity. Other songs are to with life in the Laurel Canyon Hollywood Hills, and two songs are poems by Yeats and Shelley put to music. Nicolette performs her music at various Los Angeles venues, has played at the South African music festival “Splashy Fen” several times, and performed her tribute to Nelson Mandela in Cape Town on the day of Mr. Mandela’s funeral. Nicolette is also an artist and uses her paintings in her album liner notes and digital song representations. She grew up with the privilege of instruction from her mother who was an artist in South Africa and inspired those around her with her talent and love of art. Many of Nicolette's paintings have been displayed in the gallery of MCA Records (now Universal) in Los Angeles, and she will be featured on the April 2021 cover of El Segundo Scene Magazine.

 Quote: “I care deeply about the suffering of people and animals, and the destruction of our planet by our man-made climate catastrophe. My goal is to make a positive contribution to the world - whether it be through social commentary or by merely presenting music / art that someone can identify with. I write songs and paint from inspiration.  Sometimes my music influences my art and vice versa. My new single is “I Am Not Hamas - Song for Gaza” to benefit the people and animals of Gaza and support the Palestinian people. My latest studio album, “Wild Horse Running Free” is a compilation of socio-political subject matter that has impacted me emotionally, including Apartheid, suicide prevention, the humanitarian crisis in Darfur/Sudan, the suffering of animals in captivity, the global apathy to the Ebola epidemic, the Bush administration’s inadequate response to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, the loss of employment and local cultures due to job outsourcing, and Nelson Mandela, whose autobiography “Long Walk to Freedom” was the inspiration for my tribute song, “Madiba”. (I was deeply honoured that my song was heard by Mr. Mandela during the last few months of his life, and that I was able to perform the song at a venue in Cape Town on the day of his funeral.) Songs from my two earlier albums include “Garden of Remembrance" (written in response to the “9/11” terrorism); “Ode to a dog” (dedicated to all dogs); “Be the One” (a love song featured in NBC’s 'Passions'); “City of Angels” (a reflection on Laurel Canyon); “I Never Meant to Change You” (inspired by a chapter in Kahlil Gibran's book 'The Prophet'); “Lay down your arms” (an anti-war song); “Gratefully” (a song about grief);  “When I was old” (featuring lyrics written by my mother), and two sonnets (Yeats and Shelley) put to music.

 

Nicolette Aubourg