Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicholas Salinas.
Hi Nicholas, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
For as long as I can remember, I have always had a Passion/Love for music. It was around the age of 13 when my grandmother brought home a guitar she had bought early morning at a garage sale. Instantly I was hooked and I couldn’t get enough of learning how to play and write songs, learn covers and just compose in general. I would spend hours upon hours daily learning new chords and memorizing which is which and transitions. I would sit and try to look up tabs or hear a song and try and recreate what I was hearing. This went on for years, at the time, I didn’t know the difference between classical and standard guitars for the first two years of playing I was using a classical guitar the neck is wider and the strings are nylon so transitioning to a standard guitar was a piece of cake just felt small and the strings made a huge difference. I went on to write sappy love songs about past relationships and love, in general, my first real break up I wrote about it trying to win my ex back but it just wasn’t enough.
Being young and in love can have you in a rut but I chose to continue writing my feelings and expressing my love for the art throughout the years. I played many of shows, sometimes as much as 8-9 a week I wanted to be anywhere and everywhere so I could get discovered or heard by someone. The industry was a different breed 10+ years ago. I made acoustic pop music for some time, the big scene at the time was Heavy Metal so I had always felt like an outsider but I always kept my head up and continued to do my thing. Its a lot easier to get known when you’re a five-piece band vs one person so I hustled my music anywhere I could. At one point, I believe I had my music up on ten different sites and my daily would be to wake up, check all my socials and get back to it. no time to waste continue working on my craft and seeing what I could do to reach more viewers I didn’t have the knowledge I have now then but life always seems to work itself out nonetheless. I always revert back to this day because it’s so wild how things turned out me and Morgan Matthews always talk about this and the energy you put out into the world is what you will receive back in return. the law of attraction if you will.
Well this particular night I’m referring to for me was a ‘rager’ or ‘kick back’, if you will. A mutual friend of ours at that time we didn’t know we knew had invited me over for some drinks beer pong, chill vibes and just jamming none the less. Little did I know Morgan would be there too he was there for band practice the mutual friend we had was looking for a guitar player and Morgan was just the guy. I had a few drinks, said hi to all the peeps I knew there and jammed with Morgan and a few others we had a dope night. It was until the next day that I had realized a few days prior Morgan had reached out to me asking if he could record me or work together on anything in general he was barley recording at the time and any local artist that needed help was up to helping. And of course, I was all for it at that time I had a handful of friends who helped with projects of mine like Dylan Ewen, Dylan O’rourke and Samuel Peters. All great dudes and thankful for the sessions we had, whether it was chilling or being creative in any sense. Remembering the message I had gotten I replied back to Morgan and said “Weren’t you the dude that was chilling last night?” he responded back and we laughed it was so wild that a few days prior reaching out who would have thought we would meet at a kick back much less have a mutual friend bring us together. It was from that day on we basically became inseparable we recorded projects together played shows and tried hard to get my stuff out there. We just didn’t have the formula, we knew it existed we just didn’t have the knowledge that we have now.
After a while we lost contact it had been about 3yrs if any, in 2014, I was 21 having my son Lucah Brae Salinas now almost seven years old-time sure does fly. And although we were out of contact, I never quit music and I stayed writing because its such an awesome outlet but I knew I had to put music aside during that time. It was then back in 2017 we reunited and the coolest thing about Morgan is the fact that he’s always been a day one even though we had parted ways for a bit it was almost as if I had never left. Morgan is one of the hardest working people I know and so selfless he’s done so much for me personally and for so many others. It’s no wonder he is in the position he is in now and I’m sure of it. at this time my son was roughly three or so it was a bit easier to get back into music and share that love, I had set aside this time around of course same roots just a new improved sound. We talked about all he had done in that time the projects he worked on and just life, in general, it was great linking back up, and getting back to the music. I wrote for two years under an alias “Lil Ana” but shortly rebranded and the project I dropped I shelved once I new it was a better route. I had changed to a newer unique name ” Neko Homeless” there were so many “Lil’s” in the industry just made sense to stray from all that the new genre with similar roots was Alternative / Emo but now with hiphop elements added it rose and has continued to be at a steady pace these days with artist like “Juice WRLD” “The KidLAROI” and “Trippie Redd” all genre bending and awesome artist in the scene. After I knew I was good to release the project I had dropped previously it was then when I had gotten the opportunity to turn a new leaf and be more so on the business side of things vs being the artist.
It was a bitter sweet thing since being an artist was all I had known but it was for the better! I remember working as a warehouse manager and getting the call from Morgan “I’m getting signed to Universal Music Group” I couldn’t believe it all the hard work and countless hours he put in had paid off I was so excited. It just made sense and it was only up from there. This was around 2019 give or take fast forward to now and there has been so many opportunities that have arose and its just incredible to have a best friend that has done so much not only for myself but others and the continued success and support he has gotten throughout this time! With 4 #1’s on Billboard Top 100 charts and all the artist he’s been able to work with like Alicia Key’s, Miguel, 21 Savage, Tory Lanez, Gunna and new comers like Luhkel, Queen Naija to all the other artist and songs / projects we have in the works! It’s been incredible being given the position of an A&R For our company Addictive Music Group. It has allowed me to work with others and relate because I know what it was like to be in their shoes and the passion and love for music everyday is new and I get to help those hungry for the dream! I even get to bring on people to the team and helping others is what makes me happiest the most seeing the wow factor for the first time over and over again there’s nothing like it.
Addictive Music Group has been up and running for roughly two years now and we have big plans for the future and for the artist we work with. And are thankful for any and every opportunity that arises. We are all for it I love what I do and The freedom it has brought me. I still do music in my spare time and currently help roughly 50+ different artist and producers with their music weather its promo / distribution / consultations or management I do it all. Never would I have thought I would be able to do what I do now and I’m so thankful for being given this opportunity and all the awesome artist and people I have had the pleasure of working / talking with and more! Addictive Music Group is new to the scene but we’re only getting started.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There are always ups and downs. Like the countless hours of work, restless nights and early mornings. But nothing great ever came free, hard work and ambition will get you to where you want to be. Most of the time others only see the success or outside and don’t ever take in the perspective of what it took to get there and how hard it might have been to get to those places. The perfect example would be for artist sometimes it seems like an artist just pops out of no where when in reality they have been grinding for years and the timing was just right for them to get their shine on. Same principles I’ve been doing music since I was 13-14 I’m 28 now so its been well over 10+ years its all I know and I wouldn’t trade it for the world! just goes to show if someone who didn’t know about my past met me they would only know the present me and what I do now vs all the show’s / grinding / and countless hours of practice and networking I did to try and make a name for myself. And the change of title given to me and everything else that added up to today and current. But I wouldn’t be upset with them it’s all apart of life and I love what I do! it hasn’t been easy but it’s defiantly worth it. helping others changing lives and building a future for my son and I makes it all the worth while.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an A&R for a label called Addictive Music Group. I help all Artist / Genres of music weather they have questions about the music industry, they have questions regarding a game plan on what they are doing and how to execute that plan. If they need management, Promotion, Licensing for music from our producers, exclusive ownership of certain tracks, If they need help collecting publishing or monetizing their music online and want to make their first paychecks with music and everything else in between. Everyday is new and case by case basis and some more in depth than others but all very exciting to be apart of! We specialize in, Promotion, Publishing, Licensing & Management for artist and producers. One thing I would say I’m known for is my love for music / being mindful of others and helping and of course my team Addictive Music Group we are new but we have been growing tremendously and will only continue to do so! The thing I am most proud of is having such a solid team that’s more like a family and being able to help others in their career’s / journey. The thing that sets Addictive Music Group apart from the rest is personally speaking we understand what it’s like to put the work in and grind daily to achieve our goals with whatever it may be weather its getting placements / getting signed or just getting your music out there we know what it’s like to start from nothing. Because we all were there nothing was handed to us. With hard work and ambition anything is possible!
What’s next?
Right now we are based in Fort Worth, Texas and surrounding areas! but the goal is to have a Hub if you will where we can house all of our producers and have a place where artist can come thru Record maybe do some Photoshoots / Record music videos and accommodate their stay! An all in one stop shop if you will in today’s day and age the big corporate building’s have changed to three story mansions and crazy studios! all a work in progress but the vision is there, it could be here local (Texas) or in another state! location location location.
Contact Info:
- Email: nicholas.shane@addictivemusicteam.com
- Website: https://www.addictivemusicteam.com/nicholas-shane
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicholas_shane/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicholas.shanee/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvyfE40WMzeoCIVOK6ntLmg
- Other: https://www.addictivemusicteam.com
Image Credits
Ivan Rodriguez, Morgan Matthews, Dan C. Wright
