Categories
Blog

Back in LA

Returning to LA always feels a bit surreal for me. There’s something about the city, the sunshine, the music in the air, and the constant buzz of creativity that makes every trip feel special. This time I was heading back into the studio with Roy Hay from Culture Club, continuing the work we started together and shaping the next chapter.

I'm back in LA for some more recording and a showcase

It’s always a pleasure collaborating with Steve Duberry and Mike Burns in LA alongside Roy while Oscar Simons linked in from London and Raphael Sater from Paris. The international creative partnership is in full swing at Team Celino! We collectively spent time fine-tuning songs, exploring new ideas and really getting into that creative flow where the best music is born.  Sessions aren’t just about recording; they’re about vibing experimenting and letting the songs evolve naturally. The song is really king! 👑

One of the highlights of the trip was performing a special preview of some records I’ve been creating, hosted by the Broccoli family up in the Hollywood Hills. It was one of those magical LA evenings that felt straight out of a movie. The setting was beautiful, the food and drink were incredible, and the atmosphere was full of warmth and excitement for the music. It was overwhelming to see my music being received so well!

I'm back in LA for some more recording and a showcase

I met some truly amazing people that night, and I’m so thankful to Tony and Rika for hosting such a special preview. Moments like that remind me how powerful music can be when it brings people together in such an intimate way.

Overall, it was a fantastic trip. Time spent connecting with new people and reconnecting with friends, meeting industry professionals, sharing music, and making new memories along the way. Every experience like this becomes another part of the journey, and I’m incredibly grateful for where the music is taking me.

Back to work here in the UK now, more songs, more stories, and plenty more to come 🎤

Categories
Blog

Recording in Roy Hay’s studio

A few days later and I’m writing with Roy Hay and my long-term collaborator Mike Burns at his Roy’s Home Studio. He introduces me to an incredible writer named Steve Duberry. Steve has worked with everyone and actually wrote for Tina Turner. (It was a bit of a WTF moment for little old me from Newcastle.) We spent days writing and creating some incredible songs! It was odd because despite being in America all my collaborators were British except Mike.  He was the only American here with a crew of Brits, haha!  By chance, one of Roy’s bandmates Boy George, another Brit, was in town. Roy, George and I went for lunch on Sunset Boulevard and instantly connected. We talked about writing together, free of ego, just music and genuine conversation.  These moments remind you you’re on the right path with the right people.

Recording in Roy Hay's studio with Culture Club's Boy George

My time in LA has been incredible. I’ve made lifelong friends out here and connected with incredibly talented people like Shawn Mendes and Timothée Chalamet while out and about.  I’ve also met many industry professionals who’ve all been incredibly supportive of my journey. A guy from a small place in the UK like me doesn’t usually experience this. Honestly, cruising Beverly Hills in a Porsche with my demos blasting is a world apart from listening to them on the bus back in Newcastle upon Tyne.  It’s completely different but I rate both equally. Newcastle gave me the grit and LA’s giving me the space to make the record I should’ve made years ago. This time, it’s going to be done properly.  Debut album coming soon, baby!

Categories
Blog

Writing my debut album…

After years, I’m back in Los Angeles, writing my debut album – the one I’ve been talking out of for so long. This time, it’s a soul record, not the rubbish I’ve been told I should make in the past. It’s the honest one, the Nick Celino album I’ve dreamt of all my life. No chasing trends or trying to fit a box; just proper songwriting and realness.

This isn’t my first time in LA, but it’s different. I’ve built something amazing with some serious industry people. Working with Grammy-winners doesn’t happen to a lad from Newcastle. Their ears are incredible, and they push the songs where they need to go with my direction and their guidance. I even had producers from Abbey Road Studios fly out to join me on this incredible journey. It’s crazy to think about where this all started – literally my living room.

So, we begin the process for the album. It’s incredible to be in a room with so many talented creatives, just throwing around ideas and seeing what works. A couple of nights later, I’m in a packed place at the iconic Roxy on Sunset Boulevard. The owner tells me to jump on the mic. The vibe was more Rap and RnB, not necessarily my style, but it was a vibe nonetheless. I gave the crowd a big vocal with no safety net. It was incredible and the audience responded amazingly. I finished singing and to my shock I saw Leonardo DiCaprio was casually watching me, talking to my mam! My mother! What the hell? Just across from the stage like it was normal. Only in LA.