Nico Tortorella has worn many hats, and perhaps you may remember him as Felix CarlucciI in AMC’s The Walking Dead: World Beyond or as Josh in Darren Star’s Younger, but the star isn’t just meant to be in front of a camera, he’s also behind the microphone more often than you’d expect, and he has a whole debut album to prove it. Enter: “Born” a record that we can only describe as astonishing.
The beginnings of Tortorella’s “Born” go back to his time and experiences during the production of Apple TV+’s “City On Fire,” where he took on the role of William, the frontman of the show’s fictional band, Ex Post Facto. This role saw him recording and performing original songs for the show, where he suddenly realized that not only did he have a real knack for it, but he immensely enjoyed music-making.
“Working on City on Fire awakened a dormant passion within me. It provided the catalyst for me to express myself artistically and embrace my truest essence. The studio became a sanctuary, where I could merge the worlds of character development and personal introspection, ultimately leading me to uncover a new facet of my creative identity” Nico Tortorella explains.
Written and composed entirely by himself, Tortorella drew heavily from his personal life, imbuing his songs with a myriad of emotions involving his wife’s pregnancy and the eventual birth of their daughter. Tortorella describes the album as being composed to serve as the soundtrack to their at-home birth. Still, of course, it took on an even deeper meaning as he discovered his feelings regarding his transition into fatherhood in the face of the struggles with fertility that the couple have had in the past.
On top of being an actor and advocate, Tortorella is also an author who has recently released his first children’s book, “Olivette Is You.” This project follows Tortorella’s recent works, a memoir titled “Space Between” and a book of poetry called “All of It Is You,” reflecting his advice for young readers to tap into their fullest selves.
The album itself is astonishing, defying genre conventions in the most organic way I’ve heard in a long time. “Born” struck an exciting chord with me *as a man*, and its purity makes it difficult to confidently pinpoint its influences. For instance, the initial track “Grapefruit” opens with a majestic yet delicate “arpeggiated” synth phrase that evokes deep nostalgia, accompanied by vocals with the smooth tenacity of R&B and unequivocally sultry prose that Tortorella has described as a “Bi Ballad” that is sung with overwhelming romanticism drenched in sensuality and deeply emotional involvement.
“Grapefruit” is only the beginning. There are eight more tracks to go, such as the transitory and highly experimental “Encircle” and the soulful, lo-fi chill-out gem that is “He Said She Said” with its obscenely elegant bass line. If you take careful notice, you’ll see a subtle pattern emerging: The entire album is knit over a slightly experimental electro-pop mesh with a set of warm colours provided by neo-soul and R&B elements that bring on a more peaceful, intimate, and just passion-driven composition. By song number seven, “Last Summer” I was so enamoured with Tortorella’s sound that I already wanted another album before this one ended
A final noteworthy aspect of the album is the bilingual crossing-over in “La Santa Madre” (meaning, The Holy Mother), where Tortorella’s endearingly Gringo-accented vocals deliver a beautiful and haunting ode to the spiritual mysteries of motherhood as witnessed in his wife, Bethany C. Meyers. This song took me by surprise in every aspect, from the Spanish lyrics to the Flamenco-hued vocals, and the entirety of it is simply mind-blowing!
In conclusion, “Born” was a complete surprise for me, and I believe it would be for anyone. The artistic maturity, confidence in the delivery, and polish in this debut album from someone who essentially just started making music last year is truly remarkable, so let us remember this as Tortorella proclaims “VIVA LA SANTA MADRE!”. Considering the succinct, conceptual nature of the album, I honestly think it surpasses the recent work of many major artists with years of experience. It’s so good that it’s almost intimidating.
www.instagram.com/nicotortorella
linktr.ee/nicotortorella
Photos @bronson.photo
