Candace Nicol

Introduced to piano at the age of 7, Candace immediately took to the classical world of Sonatinas and composers like Kuhlau and Beethoven. As the years went on, her playing interests expanded to the more contemporary, neoclassical styles of Dirk Maassen, Ludovico Einaudi, and others. 

She largely kept piano to herself as a private passion and source of release until 2019 after reconnecting to the musician community in her hometown of Chicago.  Inspired by these artists, she began to compose her own songs; pulling from her traditional classical training and integrating it with contemporary sound and melody.

She prefers that her songs pull from specific experiences; to tell a story through an instrument and to exude emotion and depth. As a result, many of her compositions have accompanying lyrics or poetry that she wrote and that played a major assist in how each melody was created.  

Her debut album, Sketches from the Dark, highlights her style of classical contemporary "storytelling."