In The Passenger Seat with Alethea Crimmins
From the front seat of her car, Alethea has motivated millions—reaching hearts around the world and even catching the attention of icons like Rihanna, Kesha, Madonna, and Viola Davis. Now, she’s bringing that same energy, wisdom, and unshakable confidence to the podcast realm—inviting special guests to ride along and share their own journeys of resilience, purpose, and self-discovery.
No scripts, no filters—just raw, powerful conversations filled with gems, laughter, and the kind of motivation that makes you sit up a little straighter. You never know who will be in the passenger seat next, but one thing’s for sure: every ride is a step toward something greater.
So buckle up, tune in, and let’s take this journey together. 🎙️🚗✨
In The Passenger Seat with Alethea Crimmins
Music is the weapon in the war against unhappiness.
"Music is the weapon in the war against unhappiness." These powerful words from Alethea Crimmins capture the heart of this transformative conversation with Broadway performer Nicolas King.
From the moment Nicolas steps into the passenger seat, the chemistry is electric. With a voice smooth as silk that's earned him recognition as a modern-day crooner in the tradition of Frank Sinatra, Nicolas shares his remarkable journey that began at just four years old. By seven, he was performing on Broadway in Disney's Beauty and the Beast as Chip the Teacup, eventually becoming the longest-running actor in that role in Broadway history.
But it's Nicolas's deeply personal connection with music that truly resonates. Mentored by the legendary Liza Minnelli from age 11, Nicolas served as her opening act for over a decade. Through this relationship, he learned that performance isn't just about sequins and jazz hands—it's about intention, purpose, and authentic expression. This mentorship provided an education that shaped not only his artistry but his approach to life.
The conversation takes a profound turn when Nicolas shares how a friend's simple statement—"I haven't lied in six years"—transformed his perspective on authenticity. Both Alethea and Nicolas explore the courage it takes to stop pretending, to release expectations imposed by others, and to embrace who you truly are. For those struggling with depression or feeling silenced because of who they love, music becomes more than entertainment—it's salvation.
As Nicolas explains the science behind music's emotional impact, we understand why certain songs can bring us to tears or lift us from our darkest moments. When he performs "My Funny Valentine" live during the episode, it's a moving demonstration of music's power to express what words alone cannot.
Ready to experience the healing power of music? Listen now, and remember to give yourself permission to let it out so you can let it go.
Have a Good Day On Purpose...
YA' Welcome
Yeah, shine like glitter, let the lightning light get bigger and in the sky, high like a winner, big and bright, like a diamond on a silver, and you're welcome, hello everybody, and we back back back again. Welcome to, in the Passenger Seat with me, your girl, alethea Crimmins. Now, y'all just heard the intro song Shot Like Glitter. Listen. Music has been my passion since I was a child, but what I didn't realize is how important music has been in my life overall. Realizes how important music has been in my life overall.
Speaker 1:So a little known fact about me is that I have depression. I think what it is is functional depression, where I can still go about my day today and I look happy on the outside, but inside it's like I was screaming, I was crying and I needed some type of outlet just to let out my emotions, to say what I really felt inside. Have y'all been there Like it's like you? You just don't know what to say, you don't know how to say it. It's like you have all these emotions just built up inside of you and you don't know how to get it out.
Speaker 1:Music was the thing that saved my life, literally. They say that music is magic and I really believe that it is. Every time I'd be unhappy, I will put a song on, listen to my favorite song, my favorite jam, and I'm just like hey, hey, hey, and I forget how unhappy I was. I forget what I was mad about. Music is therapy and I know that y'all know, because if y'all put on your favorite song right now, right now, right this minute, then you will forget about everything that you were mad about and you will just be in the moment. Music is literally like the war against unhappiness. Music is the weapon in the war against unhappiness. Music is the weapon in the war against unhappiness. That is how strongly I feel about music. It is a weapon to me. It battles my anxiety, it battles my depression, it battles my anger issues. It just takes all that on. It speaks the words that I cannot say, because there's so much that I want to say and it's like I don't know how to put it into words. If you listen to Adele, adele makes beautiful music, but when she was in a place where she was depressed, like she had just broken up with the one that she was with, the music that she made was just amazing, because you're able to really speak through music, like you're able to get the words out.
Speaker 1:Music is therapy and when I create my music nine times out of 10, I'm going through some shit. I am going through something and I just need to let the shit out, and that's when I write my best. That is when I write my best. So listen, we all can't sing, like you know. But I feel like what you can do is, anytime that you feel in some type of way, write it down, put it into song belt, that shit out.
Speaker 1:I know that y'all are in y'all cars right now listening to this, and when your song comes on, y'all it don't matter who is watching. I need you to sing, scream like nobody is watching and watch how good you feel, watch how great you feel. Music is literally a lifesaver, and when somebody sings good and it touches your soul and you feel their passion, you feel their emotions, it's like you're right there with them. You are right there with them in the moment. I challenge you to write a song. Write a song. It doesn't have to rhyme, it doesn't have to rhyme, it doesn't have to make sense. Just put out your emotions, let the music speak. Just let the music speak for you. Have you ever listen? I don't know about y'all, but have you ever broken up with somebody? And then you hear this song and it reminds you of everything that you are going through. And then you send that song to that person and be like, look, this is how I be feeling. Listen, I've done it, do not lie, because I know that y'all have done it too, but it says everything that you cannot say. Use that as a tool, use that as therapy, use that to get out the shit that you need to get out, and watch how good you feel, watch how amazing you feel after you. Just let that shit out. Just sing it as loud and proud as you possibly can. Honey, you might have a hit on your hands like you never know. That's what music does.
Speaker 1:So this person that will be in the passenger seat with me, baby, the way this man, they call it a crooner. The way this they call it a crooner, like Frank Sinatra, when he sang, he crooned. It was just this way, like jazz. Jazz is one of my favorite genres and it just lifts your spirit. And they have this way where their voice is just so. It's like silk, damn near Like. Who is it that made that song? Y'all know what is that song? See, it's going to come to me later on, but he says I bet you wonder where I've been, what you won't do.
Speaker 1:Baby him, the way that his voice is smooth like silk, that is a crooner. Okay, so the person that is about to come on in the passenger seat right now, baby, his voice is smooth like silk. He has been singing since he was four years old. He grew up around the greats, so how could he not be an entertainer when you grew up around people like Liza Manelli, carol Burnett, like, what, like? It just blows my mind, and I am so honored, I am so proud that he chose to be in my passenger seat and I hope that he can sing a little ditty. Maybe I can get him to sing something I don't know we're going to see. Maybe I can ask him, maybe I can ask him, maybe I can convince him to sing a little something we're going to see when he comes. But, baby, we're going to run a little clip so you can hear exactly what I am talking about.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 3:Once I get you up there, where the air is so rarefied, we are gonna glide starry-eyed. Once I get you up there, I'll be holding you so fully near you might even hear all of the angels cheer, because we're together. Weather-wise. It's such a lovely day, but if you just say the words, we'll beat those birds down to Acapulco Bay. Hey, it's perfect for a flying honeymoon, I dare to say. So come on, fly with me, come fly, let's fly, pack up, let's fly away.
Speaker 1:Yes, oh, my goodness, did I not tell you? Did I not tell you, baby, I am so excited to welcome in the passenger seat the croon that will make you swoon. The man behind the voice, mr Nicholas King.
Speaker 2:Welcome, Hello Gosh. I want that introduction everywhere I go. Can you just travel with me and just do that yes. Just imagine entering supermarkets. Yes, I want that introduction everywhere. Hello, hello, hello. How are you? Good morning, good morning.
Speaker 1:Welcome in the passenger seat. Thank you very much. How are you? I'm Welcome to the passenger seat.
Speaker 3:Thank you very much.
Speaker 2:How are you? I'm wonderful. I'm happy to be back home. I think I told you earlier I've just been away. For about five weeks I've been on the road working, so to be in my own apartment and sleep in my own bed and wake up in my own bed and water my plants, saying nothing of that, so I'm very happy. And water my plants, saying nothing of that, so I'm very happy.
Speaker 1:I'm in a very happy space today because I'm at home finally.
Speaker 2:So for people that do not know who you are, can you just give them just a brief rundown of who Nicholas King is? Yeah, well, I'm an actor singer. I've been singing and working and performing since I was four years old, claiming taxes, as I like to say, I did my first tax return in 1995, when I was four and a half years old, which means that this year officially marks the 30 years that I'm officially in show business, which is a really weird thing to say out loud. But that's it, that's the truth.
Speaker 1:Jeez, since you are four years old and you have a very interesting background, can you tell us just a little bit about your background, because I was blown away.
Speaker 2:Well, I started doing television commercials when I was four. So what I claim my taxes for? I did a Dr Pepper commercial when I was four. So what I claim my taxes for it? I did a dr pepper commercial, yeah, when I was four and a half, and that sort of led to me doing a couple dozen uh tv commercials in the in the early, uh, mid, I'm sorry, mid to late 90s.
Speaker 2:So if you ever saw that little brunette kid uh on tv pushing products, that little annoying brunette kid, most likely it was, it was me or somebody close to it. So I did that for for quite a while. And then I remember I saw a Broadway show, I saw the sound of music when I was about seven, because a friend of mine was playing one of the Von Trapp kids, and I remember thinking that I can do, I want to do that because you know I was only used to, you know, the set no-transcript. And subsequently, three hours later, I got the job in Disney's Beauty and the Beast on Broadway, oh, and I got to play Chip the Teacup, which was just a joy.
Speaker 1:And I love Broadway. The teacup, which was uh, was just a joy. And I, I love broadway. The sound of music has to be one of my all-time favorite movies, one of my favorite broadway. Like I am a music and broadway and Broadway Junkie, like I love the sound of music. King and I, guys and Dolls, oklahoma Like I'm just like, ah, like it's all just so great.
Speaker 2:I think what did it for me was, you know, I'd seen Broadway shows before because my family exposed me to a lot of, you know, a lot of theater and a lot of things before, but it was the first time I remember seeing kids up on a stage and there were seven of them, you know and then I went backstage and saw sort of how they, how they were. They were a big family, you know. They were friends with the musicians and the crew and the stagehands and and the and the adult actors and I just remember thinking what a beautiful family that they have backstage. And, gosh, I would love to do that and, you know, luckily I didn't have to wait that long. You know, I think I saw that in the fall of 99. And by you know, winter of 2000,. I got the part in Beauty. So it was my dream came true very, very rapidly and I did that quite a while. Actually, they just told me this.
Speaker 2:Actually, during COVID, I was having a conversation with my former company manager and he told me he goes. Well, you did. You. Do you realize you're the longest running chip in Broadway history? I said no, when would you have told? Had I known that that would have been on my resume for years. You know longest, so that was so. That's kind of cool. You know to to to think that I did that for the longest, so that was so. That's kind of cool. You know to to to think that I did that for the longest.
Speaker 1:But it was. It was just a dream to to be wrapped up in in that community and with a met. Like several amazing people that I am just like, like I would. I would literally pass out. I would literally pass out. Can you tell us about who your mentor is?
Speaker 2:like I can't, like she is she is everything she, she kind of is, and she's one of the most intelligent, um and passionate and just um, all around generous people I've I've ever met, and that's miss liza manelli. Uh, we crossed paths when I was very little and, um, when I was about 11 or so, she, she, she, you know, because she'd heard me sing and she'd seen me on broadway and you know, we, we knew each other. My grandmother was her vocal coach for a very long time really. So, early on into that sort of partnership, I was spending a lot more time at liza's house and you know, we'd sing around the piano and all this stuff and, yeah, very hollywood, you know, just hanging around the piano and singing and stuff. And one day she, she called my house, where I was with my parents in Rhode Island, around 1030 at night and I picked up the phone for some reason and she went hey, baby, it's me. Listen, I'm going on the road and I need someone to do 20 minutes. You think you can do 20 minutes for me. I need an opening act and I was 11. So I didn't know what in the world she was talking about, but I said, I said yes, of course you don't. You don't say no when Liza Minnelli asks you to do something at all. And so no.
Speaker 2:So I was her on again, off again, opening act for about 12 years. You know, on and off and gosh did we, did we have a ball? And then she I was. I just finished a Broadway show called Hollywood Arms. It was directed by Hal Prince and it was written by Carol Burnett. And we had just finished the show and there was a slew of projects that weren't happening and I was just kind of depressed. I wasn't getting any auditions and nothing was taking steam and full midlife crisis at 12, really just full on. I'm never going to work again so dramatic, so dramatic.
Speaker 2:And I was over the house one day and she said well, you know what's, what's the matter. I said, well, you know, I'm not really not working and I'm. You know, there's projects I want to do that I'm not doing and I love it. And she just said had her with her cigarette. You know, she was, without batting an eyelash, thought again, I don't know what you're talking about.
Speaker 2:So so we sat together at the end of her bed for about I don't know three, four hours with a pad and a pen and she wrote down for me and we, we worked together, we, we, we created a cabaret act, a nightclub act. You know, from start to finish. You know song selection and keys and, and you know selection and keys and, and you know patter and character development and intent and arc of a show and all this, all this stuff that goes into building a show. And she basically directed every nightclub act. I did from the time I was 12 till the time I was in my early 20s, you know.
Speaker 2:So I, I, the, the education you know, aside from the friendship, aside from from the friendship that I that I have with her and still have to this day, um, uh, just the, the education that I received from her about how to approach your craft has been really incredible. You know, everyone thinks about liza, they think sequins and jazz hands, but she is so much, she's so far beyond that. I mean, her brain is truly one that is, um, unparalleled to any I've ever really worked with. I mean she thinks about every detail, every single movement and every choice on stage has intent and has purpose, and the things that I've learned from her in that has just been, you know, just extra. You can't pay for that sort of education that is amazing, earlier, I was telling people.
Speaker 1:Amazing, earlier, I was telling people because I have what is now that I know it has a name functional depression, and music has helped me so much like I didn't realize how powerful music was. I didn't realize that music is actually very therapeutic. When you think like you could be having the worst day ever and you can put this song on and it lifts your mood, it feeds your soul, it makes you forget about everything negative that's happened in your life. How has music impacted you, or has it impacted you in that way?
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, I think, like yourself, I've gone through ups and downs. I think, like all of us, we've all gone through ups and downs and some downs are pretty down. You know, and sometimes you know you don't see the light at the end of the tunnel and you and you wonder, is you know what? What am I going to do? You know, am I going to pull through?
Speaker 2:And I found a lot of comfort in lyrics, you know, in songs that that can say things in a way that I maybe can't put words to. You know, or feelings that I don't really quite know how to tap into. You know, I look at lyricists like Alan and Marilyn Bergman, or writers like Stephen Sondheim, or people that have this way of getting into the feelings between the feelings, you know, because anyone can sing about being happy or sad, fine, that's one thing. But to get into like the marrow of it all and give yourself permission to say things and feel things that maybe you feel too ashamed to say out loud. And I've been able to find songs that have given me permission to do that by way of singing them, and when I sing them it makes me more, you know, connected.
Speaker 2:But to get you know, just to touch on what you're saying about how music affects you. I mean it's a science. I mean it sounds sometimes a little woo-woo but it's not really woo-woo, it's actually a full-on science behind the power that music has. You know, I'm a friend of mine once explained to me what happens in certain songs when you, when you have two strings, or if you play two song, two notes on a piano or two high violins or something you know high up in the in the register, when you, when you have two notes playing at the same time, at the right frequency, with the same pitch or the same sort of intonation, it creates, the mind hears a third note that doesn't actually exist.
Speaker 2:And there's a science and I'm not a scientist, so I'll get all the words wrong but in layman's terms, it creates a third or sometimes fourth or fifth note that's not actually being played but because of the harmony of those two notes, the frequencies join together within what we can hear and create other notes that aren't actually there, but they're tangible, they're there, you can hear them, you can feel them, and to me it's such a lesson yeah, it's such a lesson, not only in science and the power that music has to create things that aren't there.
Speaker 2:But to me, it also gives me the outlook on the power that we have as musicians, as artists, when we are creating something to be able to make people feel something that they may not be able to see tangibly, but that they can feel, something that they may not be able to see tangibly but that they can feel. You know, and what a gift that we have, and we have such a gift to be able to do this for people and for ourselves. You know that we can create these third and fourth overtones you know that aren't being played, and we can actually influence people and help people feel something in a way that they wouldn't be able to feel otherwise.
Speaker 1:That is exactly what music does for me, and it it, it makes you, it brings out emotions that you didn't really know that you had, because it's like some, some, some songs. Like I can be listening to a song and a love song and it just brings out these emotions of how grateful I am that I have somebody who loves me and that I can relate. And then all of a sudden I'm just in tears, Like, oh, this is the best song ever.
Speaker 2:I get the same way I get the same way. I get the same way, and sometimes I get weepy, not because of any one or anything in particular. I just get weepy because I appreciate the beauty of a song. Yes, you know there's some recordings on it that you know the song doesn't really mean very much to me or the singer is, you know, not necessarily impacting me, but just the sheer beauty of the arrangement or the strings or the, or the lyric just makes me so grateful for this art form.
Speaker 1:And I'm such a sap.
Speaker 2:Sometimes I just sit there and I'm such a baby. I'll be on the subway, you know, I'll be on the A train, just full, burt, lars, the cowardly line, you know just full on.
Speaker 1:And I love how you said and I said this earlier because I do the same thing I use song writing as somewhat of a journal. For because, just like you said, when you write music it gives you permission to say things that you might not feel comfortable saying out loud, you may not feel comfortable expressing that to somebody else, but when you give yourself permission to actually let these words out of your head, just write it down. Let these words out of your head, out of your mind, just write it down, and it doesn't have to rhyme, it doesn't have to make sense, but it's just you giving yourself permission to let it out. Because I say this time and time again, you have to let it out, to let it go Absolutely.
Speaker 1:And music, songwriting is a beautiful outlet to do exactly that. Let it out, so that you can let it go, absolutely.
Speaker 2:There's a lot of push towards highlighting the things that separate us and silencing voices that want to be heard or just want fair treatment, and there's a lot of push towards that and I think people get scared, you know, and we get scared to do it, and we get in our own head and go, we make ourselves small, you know, and I think that that's really kind of running rampant these days and I challenge anybody to defy that. You know, it's a very important gift that we have of the ability to express ourselves, you know, and whether it's in songwriting, whether it's in poetry, you know I'm not a good writer. It's never been a skill set that I know, oh yeah, I'm just, I'm not.
Speaker 2:I'm not, it's not my skill set, but I think what my skillset is interpreting other people's writings. So taking someone else's song and someone else's feelings and interpreting them through my point of view, you know, and singing a song from my standpoint, and hopefully maybe that can reach somebody, you know. But so that's my way of doing it. But whatever is your strength, whether it's interpreting lyrics or songs or poetry, or it's writing it and creating it, I just encourage everybody to get in the trenches and do it and and to get your, get your voice be made known and let it out there. And it's because it not only makes you feel better, but you have no idea the impact that your art or that your feelings, your emotions, your, your expressions have on other people.
Speaker 1:That resonates a lot with me, because growing up I was silenced as a child throughout my life because of my stutter. I was like, oh, no way, you can't do that. But oddly enough, I never stuttered when I sang. I never stuttered when I sang.
Speaker 2:Isn't that something?
Speaker 1:That's like so crazy. Like I would stutter when I talk, but I would not stutter at all when I sang. But people try to silence me and tell me, oh well, you can't do this and you can't do that. It was a lot of you can't, you can't, you can't, you can't, until one day I gave myself permission to tell myself I could. I gave myself permission to say you know what? Yes, you can, and I did. And now, because of that, like I'm doing what, I am loud. I am a proud LGBTQ member and my wife and I have been married for going on 11 years and wonderful Thank you. And we are always told that we shouldn't. It's a certain type of way that you have to express your love. It's a certain type of way that you need to like be yourself, but not like that. Right, exactly Be yourself, but just not just calm down, isn't that?
Speaker 2:ridiculous. Isn't that so silly? It's just so silly. You know you, you would never yeah, I don't know any any examples in life where that same principle would apply. You know, I think it's. It's absolutely silly, and I think it's, you know it's it's.
Speaker 2:People, I think, say that out of fear. You know, there, I think, everything kind of boils down to love or to fear. And I think when people have fear their fear of offending somebody or their fear of disappointing someone then they say kind of silly crap like that. And I think that the more that we can sort of open the eyes of people to say you are perfect just as you are. Yes, you are perfect just as you are, yes, and that you don't want and this is what I've always said when it comes to fighting for either LGBTQ rights or for Black Lives Matter or for anything where people have a voice that want to be heard no one's asking for superior treatment.
Speaker 2:We're asking for equal treatment. I'm not asking to be better than you. I don't want more than you. I just want the same right to do what I want to do as you have the opportunity to do for yourself. Equal, not superior, but equal. And I think that sometimes people get afraid of that. They think. People think that, oh, because we want gay marriage, oh, they want more. No, nobody wants more than anybody else. No one wants to take away what you have.
Speaker 1:You want what everybody else exactly has. Exactly I I want, at the end of the day, if something happens to me, or like I want my wife to be able to be there and to say, hey well, this, this is what she wants, this this is what she needs, like I want my wife to be able to advocate for me. Sure, if something happens, like if something happens to our kids, like I want my wife to be able to advocate for them and I don't understand why me being married to my wife is so problematic. Like what? Well, I think I think.
Speaker 2:I think for me it's even. You know, I mean, those are all absolutely true reasons. I think for me it's even as more simple than that. It's just the fact of feeling you want, you know your relationship should, should be valid and it should be. It should be viewed as valid in the same way that any other union is, and unfortunately it. It takes a while to get people's minds around that, but you know it's, but it's, it's just, it's just about validating the fact that, hey, we have a union and this is special and this is just as, just as strong and just as healthy and just as as and this is just as strong and just as healthy and just as loving as your union.
Speaker 1:And don't take it away from me just because it doesn't come in the same box as yours comes in. Yeah, and I mean everybody. Artists that's what music does Like. Music allows them to be unapologetically them, allows them to be unapologetically them, like you. You will see artists that that is, that are normally very shy, but when they get on stage it's like it's like they were told, because music does, it's healing. It is healing and it allows you, just just like you said, it gives you permission to be exactly who you are. No holds bar. I just am who I am.
Speaker 1:Do you know how many people I've passed by in vehicles and they don't know that you're watching them? But I'm at a red light and I don't know what song they're listening to, but they are in in the car like just, are just singing with their whole heart and I'm looking like like they. They are just. It's a wonderful thing to see how they are just out there, just like they are being who they are. They don't care who sees, they don't care who's watching. I'm just being me. Just imagine if we can be this way all the time. I know.
Speaker 2:I know it's the truth. When I had my car, I told you I sold my car. Now that I live in Brooklyn, having a car here is just a nightmare. So I sold my car. When I had my car, I mean, I'd drive around, I would just I would scat sing all the time. You know, I'd put on like jazz recordings, I would just scat to them.
Speaker 2:People must've thought look at this guy having a very intense conversation. You know, I mean, now that I've sold the car, I could do it on the subway, but I don't know that that would get the same. That might get some looks. I probably know if I could do that on the subway in my morning commute to places. But but it's true, you know, when you, when you have that freedom and you have that, that ability to just be yourself, it's a wonderful feeling, you know, and it takes some of us longer than others to realize that that's really, really important. You know, I know a lot of people, myself included, that was a late bloomer in being honest with myself about certain things that I wanted or that I needed when it came to just how I should be treated or what I'm looking for in relationships or the sort of relationships and friendships that I want to surround myself with, and authenticity, you know.
Speaker 2:I had a con. I had a conversation with a, with a really good friend of mine he's like a brother to me and I. You know he, he and I had both gone through some similar traumatic experiences and when it was all kind of said and done, we, we sat at a diner and I said I just want to know, um, are you, are you happy? Uh, you know, and he, he looked at me square in the eye and he said something the most impactful life that I was changed, really changed my life. He said, nicholas, I haven't lied in six years. And it just, it just hit me like like a ton of bricks, you know, because the, the um, the circumstances in both of our lives at the time were such that, you know, we were very busy doing a lot of things but not being authentically true to who we were and what we wanted and our big picture, you know, in life and how we wanted to do certain things. You know, and just for that to be said, that I haven't lied in six years, it immediately shined a mirror onto myself to go.
Speaker 2:I don't think of myself as a liar, but if I'm pretending to be interested in things that I'm not interested in or I'm going along with things just because it's the norm, or it's the way that it's said that you have to do it, or because it's your family's tradition, or it's just the way that things are. I don't believe in certain things, I don't stand by those certain things, but I'm pretending to. So that does make me a liar, and as soon as I heard him say I'm the happiest because I haven't lied in six years, I that was just. It was explosive and it just it taught me such a lesson that our time here on this spinning little rock of dust is so precious and how, how unfortunate it would be to spend it in a mystery of lying, you know, or in a cloud, rather, of not being authentic.
Speaker 2:You know, we don't think of it as lying, but when you're not being authentic to yourself, you're robbing yourself the opportunity of living honestly. And I realized I didn't want to do that anymore, you know, and it meant some changes and some heavy changes in my life, some traumatic things that I had to deal with and still trying to get a grip on and work through. But I, honestly, I'm the happiest now that I ever have been, because I am authentic about who I am and about what I want and about the sort of relationships I want to foster and the sort of qualities that I want to have. It's made me a much better person and a happier person, and I you know my demeanor, my outlook is is significantly different.
Speaker 1:Jeez, I like that. I wouldn't. When you said I, I haven't lied and I'm. I'm listening to you and I'm thinking to myself I are there things that that I'm lying about, that Like, like I'm just going through through, through the motions, just because, or do I really like these things, or am I just pretending because it's the norm or it's what I?
Speaker 2:should do, or it's what expect, it's what's expected, and I don't, I don't mean, and I don't, I don't mean like the little white?
Speaker 2:I don't mean like the little white lies, like oh no, honey, that dress doesn't make your butt look big, I don't mean that sort of stuff whatever. But but I mean like that you know to, to try to live up to the expectations. You know I was. I was in a situation that I found myself in life where I was constantly trying to meet people at at a hurt, jump a hurdle and meet people at an expectation Every time I jumped the hurdle, a new one would be set and I and none of the work that I did was ever appreciated.
Speaker 2:So I had to jump this new hurdle and it was just this constant sort of process and it and it really brought me to some very dark places because it felt like I was never good enough and I wasn't good enough, you know, and nothing I was and and can't you see the sacrifices I'm making and the the efforts that I'm making for, for, for this, and it was never, never enough and I just got tired of that. You know, I got tired of of that and that's that's, you know, all around the same time, I had to come to that realization of I have to start making authentic decisions for myself and I, if it, if it hurts some people temporarily because they can't wrap the brain around it, well, they will eventually. You know, I'm not hurting anybody. I'm not out to hurt people, I'm not out to to uh, to cause harm to people. It's just a different way of looking at things and if and if people really want to be in my life and in my circle, they're going to understand it and they'll respect it.
Speaker 2:And if they don't, then they were never yours to begin with.
Speaker 1:Listen, Nicholas is like dropping little nuggets, little life lessons. He is dropping nuggets and I need y'all to pick them up. Pick up the nuggets that he is dropping, because he is dropping knowledge on us today and I'm living for it.
Speaker 2:Well, this is this is what years of this is what you know five, four or five years of therapy will do for you. You know, and and journaling, and, like we were talking about earlier, journaling, getting these thoughts out there and gaining perspective on life.
Speaker 1:You know, the the the, the more that you keep your mind and heart open to new perspectives, the happier you'll be, you know. Oh, I just, nicholas, I love you. Like you are an amazing person.
Speaker 2:Like you, are an amazing human and I love you. Thank you so much. I've, I've, we've just met, but gosh, the light and the positivity and the authenticity that comes out of you is so lovable and so beautiful that I'm so happy to know you.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, Just like you, it took years to get here, but I'm here and I ain't going nowhere, baby.
Speaker 2:Okay, no, and we still have a long way to go. We do. You know it's a daily thing, it's a daily education thing and uh, but isn't that wonderful it is, isn't that so great? I love the fact that you know we never fully graduate. You know, we're always, we're always taking a new course.
Speaker 1:That's a beautiful thing. Listen. Every day I am a different version of myself, like I wake up and it's like I don't know who I'm going to be, did I?
Speaker 2:just do a software update in the middle of the night, what's?
Speaker 1:going on Like I don't know who I'm going to be, but I know that, whatever it is, I'm going to be great at it. Whatever it is, I'm going to walk in my greatness. Regardless of what version it is, I'm going to make sure that it is my favorite version of myself and I'm going to be great and I'm going to have a good day on purpose. That's right, because I deserve it. So, nick, I kind of told the people um, I kind of told them, like people, that you was going to give us a little sample.
Speaker 2:A sample. Oh, I just handed those in to the doctor. Oh wait, oh that kind of sample. Oh, that kind of sample. What would you like to hear? What sort of songs do you like? Anything? Jazz, great American songbookbook, broadway, all that stuff what, what, whatever is on your heart.
Speaker 1:I, I just, I just had told them that you was gonna give us like a list. Oh gosh, and, and and you cannot make me look bad no, no, I will.
Speaker 2:I just, I just don't know what to do. Is there any? Is there any song in particular that that you know? I told you I'm not a backseat driver, you're driving the car, so whatever you want to hear.
Speaker 1:I think one of my favorite jazz songs is my Funny Valentine.
Speaker 2:You know what's really funny? I was about 90% sure just now you were going to say my funny Valentine. I'm not even kidding you. That's really weird. Okay, let me see, I'm at my piano, so let me see, let me put my little. Let's see, let me put on the nice sound. And we get a piano. Can you hear it? No, it's a little soft, isn't it? Because I'm coming through the headphones.
Speaker 1:You can take the headphones out. Yes, yes, Take them out. We want to hear it all. We get the concert y'all. Put them away.
Speaker 2:Can you hear me? Can you hear me?
Speaker 1:Yes, I can hear you Very good.
Speaker 2:Now I want to do. Let me see, I want my little. Where's my pretty?
Speaker 1:sound. I'm so excited right now. No, not that one.
Speaker 2:That one no, I want what's this one no, there we go.
Speaker 3:What key do I do it in? That's it. Don't change your hair for me, not. If you care for me, stay, little valentine. Each day is Valentine's. Each day is Valentine's. Each day is falling down. Oops, I dropped my camera. Damn Damn. Oh my God.
Speaker 2:Was that all right, was it? I dropped my stand. I'm just going to hold it. Was that all right?
Speaker 1:I can't even speak to you right now.
Speaker 2:You are amazing. Oh, thank you. Thank you If I could just figure out how to work this damn keyboard because it's got so many sounds on it. But I wanted like that nice, like you know, 80s power ballad sound on it, you know, like Kubo Bryce and James Ingram, patty Austin thing going on. That's what I wanted.
Speaker 1:Beautiful, oh my gosh. Thank you so much for being in the passenger seat with me today. Can you please?
Speaker 2:It was so nice to meet you and to get to know you, and I hope we can stay friends after this.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, definitely. Like I would love to hear you sing in person, because, oh, anytime.
Speaker 2:Where do you live? I forgot.
Speaker 1:I live in Louisiana.
Speaker 2:Louisiana. I'm always traveling, always traveling, Wonderful wonderful, I do tour quite a bit. I'm leaving. Actually in two weeks. I'll be gone for another month doing stuff. Louisiana is not on the list, but I think the closest I'm getting to there is maybe where is the closest I'm getting to there Las Vegas but that's not very close to you.
Speaker 1:Let me know when, because I might just pop up.
Speaker 2:I would love to see you, I'd love to meet you. Let's go to dinner. Yes, that'd be really fun. I'd love to go to like the dinner. We'll go out to eat because I'm a, I'm a, I'm italian, I'm a big foodie, you know. So please, let me know when you are in vegas, like, yes, I will march 28th, I'll be there march 28th at the composing room. Oh my gosh, but I post all the stuff everywhere, so it'll, yes, please check it out.
Speaker 1:We'd love to see you speaking of your socials. Can you please let everybody know where to find all things? Nicholas king yes, um.
Speaker 2:Well, my website is um official nicholaskingcom, uh, and it's my instagram is at. It's nicholas king. I t s nicholas king, um, and you can find me on amazon music, it, itunes, apple Music, spotify, but the only thing to remember is that my name is Nicholas, with no H Because?
Speaker 1:Thank you, mom and dad, because H is an L? Ew.
Speaker 2:Ew, jimmy Fallon. You know Jimmy Fallon with his Sarah skit. Sarah, no H because H is an L. So I'm Nicholas with no H because H is are ill. No, my mother did it as a mistake. She was under a lot of how do we say drugs from the medication from the cesarean section. I was a stubborn baby and when they made her sign the stuff, she literally signed it by accident because she was so out of it. Poor thing. And when she came to and they realized she went. I didn't do that on purpose, but they decided to keep it because it looks kind of cool and I'm thrilled that they kept it. But it does mess me up when people go to look me up online because they just put the H in. So make sure, when you look me up, nicholas with no H and I do have, see how it's spelled N-I-C-O-L-A-S. Love it. N-i-c-o-l-a-s, n-i-c-o-l-a. Check me out, let's all be friends.
Speaker 1:Yes, oh, my gosh, I hope that you guys enjoyed Nicholas King as much as I did Listen. I need you to know that you are everything and everything is you. I need you to know that music is medicine. So go out there and take your medicine and give yourself permission to let it out so you can let it go. Okay, so, as you continue to go out there and be great in their faith, be fabulous like I know you can be, and, as always, you have a good day. On 5% you up, you up. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha ha.