Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Doss.
Hi Nicole, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
Wow, it’s such a long story; I’ll try my best to condense it. I am Nicole Doss, my artist name is Cole Dé (Cold Day) I write heartbreak music a lot. I am a singer and songwriter originally from Memphis, TN. I attended performing arts schools in Memphis before moving to Texas. So, when I moved here, I already knew how to act, sing and dance. Now, let’s just fast forward to 12-year-old me in a piano lesson with my mom and sister, and cousin in Grand Prairie, Texas. At this time, we’ve only been in Texas now a year or so. It was my first time touching a piano; I learned everything she said fast. The teacher was impressed and so was my mother, and I never stopped playing. I ended up becoming a paid “youth musician” for my church at that time. Here I was, 13-year-old me, playing for a big church, and it was church where I learned to write songs.
I started writing gospel songs, I actually took some poetry I had written and turned it into a song, just added a chorus. I would write a new song almost every night and run and tell my mom to meet me in the living room with my Casio and play it. And the best thing about that Casio is you could record, so I’d record a whole beat and song and just press play. That was also the kickoff to starting a gospel group with my sister and eventually becoming a praise & worship leader, we’d eventually sing so many songs for my mother that she invested in us to produce an album. But what my mom didn’t know was I was writing r&b songs too; I just didn’t let her hear those. So, I’ve been writing them both for over a decade.
But since I was a kid, I could see myself in commercials. I was the girl that could sing, rap, play the piano and the drums, I had my own home recording studio when I was 14-15 and have maintained that studio to this day. Only I’ve added a photography studio to it, which helps me shoot the videos I post.
My mother was a huge support growing up with my talent. I’ve been in auditions, workshops, performance arts schools, acting camps. We’ve been in girl groups, gospel, and r&b. I’ve been singing, and writing, and acting my whole life. Eventually, I became a middle school theatre teacher. I would attend auditions throughout the day as best as I could. I was still able to create with the productions at the school, but it just still wasn’t enough for what was screaming on the inside.
So, I decided to rewrite Romeo and Juliet but make it hip-hop. I wanted all original music, so I found a beat online. I listened to it over and over, and I wanted a duet between Romeo and Juliet. I was in the choir room after school, I walked out one of the private rooms, and two students were arguing, and she said “Well, if you miss me just say that!” and I yelled, “Go to class!” The choir director and I laughed about it because she was in there as well. But it stuck with me; I was like “hold on, that could work.” I went home wrote the whole song that night, I recorded the verses for the students to know how to sing the song (many were gonna audition). I decided to play the song for my advance class because that’s when we had majority of the students who would be in the production. But when I finished playing it, I was bombarded with “that’s you!” & “that sounds like a real song!” But I just wanted them to do it. One of my students did not let it go though and he told me to make it a single. After some time, I was like, he’s right. I released my first single “Just Say It” that year.
Eventually, I became a full-time creative, creating original songs. Even singing around town and picking up features. I released another single titled “In Summer,” and I will be releasing my own original music soon called “The Breakup Package” a long-awaited EP. A lot of my focus lately is on my musical talents, but I have upcoming film projects as well.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road, but that was expected. I joke with a friend of mine and tell her my dreams are too big for my budget. But I had to stop mentally tormenting myself with that, and work with the budget I have now. I will give any and all I have to my dreams. And although that might seem small, it was a mental obstacle because I’d shelve a project.
I started a YouTube channel called “I Write Good Songs,” and I was writing the songs, staying consistent, and my camera failed. So, I had to wait and save, and I wasn’t working; I was a full-time creative at the time. It pushed back my video posting, and I’m sure I lost viewers because of it, but I didn’t stop posting on my other social media channels. Eventually, I got another camera, only for my studio equipment to start failing me, it went from, incompatible desktop, to new microphone, audio interface, almost everything but the microphone filter. So, I upgraded it all, again with no job.
Although all of this was happening, I never stopped writing, whether it was songs or scripts. I kept writing.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Well, one of the gifts I specialize in is songwriting. I want to write for other artists. So, I created the YouTube channel I mentioned earlier, where I find beats by upcoming producers, and I’ll write a song to their beat, I tagged them and promote them while at the same time promoting myself as a songwriter and as an artist through my music videos. I’ve come across some really great producers, & I’m currently shooting season 4.
I’m also known for jingle songwriting; I shoot my shot at big brands because like I said. I’ve always seen myself in commercials. So, my goal lately is to continue to shoot. What makes me proud about that is I’ve gotten the attention of a lot of the brands I made jingles for, and that’s my goal. Once I know you’ve seen the video, the seed is planted. I think writing jingles/songs for big brands is what will continue to set me apart from others. All my goals are still the same; I’m just taking a different path most don’t think to take to get there.
You can also find my work on social media, where I participate in open-verse challenges as well.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I tell my students every day to follow their dreams and that I am a superstar. So, I will leave you with something similar.
When it comes to following your dreams, only speak with other dreamers. The ones that jumped off the cliff without a parachute too. Other faith leapers, like-minded dream chasers. Because when you need support or a push in the air, talk to the people that jumped to or with you; they will always be a better support system.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itscolede/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/itscolede
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@iwritegoodsongs
- SoundCloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/AGmR6
