nicholas winston sykes musician + singer-songwriter

1 march 1993 (24)
born & raised in chilwell, nottinghamshire
lives in new york city
wikipedia Nicholas Winston Sykes (born March 1st 1993) is an English singer-songwriter, best known for his hit single Budapest, which reached the top ten in several countries around the world. Sykes's debut album, Wanted on Voyage, was released in 2014 and became the third best selling album of that year, with over a million copies sold.
early life
Sykes was born in Chilwell, a suburb outside of Nottingham, in England. He attended The Lanes Primary School, and then Chilwell School and Sixth Form. His mother was a nurse and his father was in the army, both are now retired. He is one of seven siblings, all of whom are older than he is. Sykes stated in a 2017 interview with Dork magazine that he has very little contact with his immediate family. He still considers one of his classmates from school to be his best friend, and reveals that he was "kind of adopted" by that family instead.

When he left school, he declined a place at university and went travelling instead. The year spent travelling inspired his debut album.
musical style and career
Sykes cites Bruce Springsteen and Woody Guthrie as his main musical influences, and regularly covers Bob Dylan songs. Zane Lowe, a former BBC Radio 1 DJ, called him "one of the most compelling and powerful new vocalists around."

During his travels, Sykes uploaded a song he had written to BBC Introducing, at the recommendation of someone he was travelling with. When he came back to the UK in 2012, he found the contact of someone offering to be his manager and began playing small open mic shows around the country. That led to an offer to play the BBC Introducing Stage at Glastonbury 2013, and a record deal with Columbia.

Sykes released his debut album, Wanted on Voyage, in June 2014. It entered the charts at number three, and hit number one in October 2014. He was nominated for four BRIT Awards in February 2015, but didn't win in any category. In 2015, he opened for Sam Smith on his North American tour, and then played the support slot for Hozier. He appeared on Saturday Night Live in 2015, and toured the US for most of that year.

On the 3rd April 2017 Sykes released a new single, Don't Matter Now, and played some tour dates around the UK. The album, Staying at Mava's is to be released March 23rd 2018.
personal relationships
biological family (mostly estranged):
john sykes, father, 69; helen sykes, mother, 67; charles sykes, brother, 37; robert sykes, brother, 36; annie jones, sister, 32; james sykes, brother, 29; gina hearne, sister, 27; lewis sykes, brother, 27
family he "chooses":
ben scafidi, best friend, 25; lydia scafidi, ben's mother, 51; mark scafidi, ben's father (deceased); liz scafidi, ben's sister, 29; zoe scafidi, ben's niece, 9
and more recently:
mava szalinski, fiancee, 24; zev szalinski, manager, 56; ashley slater, publicist, 32; fabio de oliveira, drummer; david klinke, guitarist; cam blackwood, producer
notable public events
Announced his engagement to long-term girlfriend Mava Szalinski on stage in New York at the end of August.
Performed at Glastonbury in 2013 (BBC Introducing Stage), in 2014 (John Peel Stage, the day before the release of his debut), in 2015 (Pyramid Stage), and in 2017 (Other Stage).
Fired his first manager in late 2016 after rumours he was being dropped from his label were discovered to have come from him. Hired Zev Szalinski in 2017.
Nominated for four BRITs in 2015 (British Male, British Album, British Single, Breakthrough Act). Won none.
miscellaneous information
ISTP, Pisces, consistently "sorted" Gryffindor if that can say anything about a person.
Upon announcing that he was going travelling instead of to university in 2011, Nico was kicked out of his childhood home. Familial relations are strained.
Moved to New York in August 2015. Acquired permanent US residency in January 2016.
Stands at 6'4"; is definitely aware of the big nose thank you; the development of the 'big voice' for which he's known was a weird day of puberty and sounds nice when singing but is a tad monotonous when he's speaking in normal conversation.
Deathly allergic to fish. He's had severe reactions twice in his life, once when he was four and once in July 2015 on tour in France. Carries an epi-pen with him at all times. Or, you know, most times.
DISCOGRAPHY (as nico sykes) (2018) STAYING AT MAVA'S Pretty Shining PeopleDon't Matter Now • Get Away • Shotgun • Paradise • All My Love • Sugarcoat • Hold My Girl • Saviour (feat. First Aid Kit • Only A Human • The Beautiful Dream (2017) DON'T MATTER NOW SINGLE Don't Matter Now • Don't Matter Now (acoustic|) (2016) WE'RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT (soundtrack to the television adaptation) Me & You (2014) WANTED ON VOYAGE Blame It On MeBudapestCassy O'BarcelonaListen to the ManLeaving It Up to YouDid You Hear the Rain? • Drawing Board • Stand by Your Gun • Breakaway • Over the Creek • Spectacular Rival
DELUXE EDITION
Song 6 • It's Just My Skin • Da Vinci Riot Police • Blind Man in Amsterdam
(2014) CASSY O EP Cassy O' • Get Lonely With Me • Over the Creek • Coat of Armour • Budapest (live from stockholm) (2013) DID YOU HEAR THE RAIN EP Budapest • Did You Hear the Rain? • Benjamin Twine • Angry Hill