Maybe if I tell you the name of Nick Rivera Caminero (Massachusetts, 1981) may not ring a bell. Things change if the name you read is that of Nicky Jam. Now, right? The artist has been making us dance and sing for two decades, providing the soundtrack to our craziest nights.
Now, more than ever, Nicky arrives ready to put music to our nights. Not only for party songs, but also for insomniac songs. For this, the composer arrives with a new album full of collaborations: from Saiko to Eladio Carrión, including Feid and Ryan Castro.
From Miami, Nicky Jam connects to tell us some of the secrets of his new album, Insomniareflect on the changes in the music industry and reveal some ideas he has for upcoming projects.
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Were the songs born from sleepless nights, literally?
Exactly. Most of the songs were made at night and recorded during the night. If it was the middle of the night, I would stop and record in the studio. I would wake up the producer, give him a Red Bull and we would hit him. I get a lot of creativity at night, but also in the morning. It depends.
Insomnia arrives three years after InfinityWhy this time between albums?
I was in no hurry to make the album and it was the last one I made with Sony to renegotiate with them. The truth is that in creative mode I was already ready to work. I put together a pretty good team to work with them. In six months we did it. We had a lot of songs recorded, but we took them out and made a totally new album. It all has to do with the night, with the concept and with insomnia.
Did you scrap an entire album?
Literal.
Aren't any songs going to be released from that scrapped album?
No, no, no. I always say that the urban movement has to be up to date with what is happening at the moment. If you let a song not come out in six or seven months, it is not possible, it is already out of fashion. That is my way of thinking. Then each one should work as he wants. But me, for example, when I released my singles they lasted a whole year. They came out Mischief, I'm going to drink or Forgiveness and they lasted a year on the radio and everywhere. But we are not in those times anymore. We are in times where music is a little more disposable and that is why we have to be more active.
The urban movement has to be up to date with what is happening
Did you like the way the industry was before?
No, I don't have a problem with people asking me to make music. There's a creative side to it, which is what I like the most. But making music that goes out of fashion so quickly has a lot to say about music. Songs should last much longer. I'm more of a fan of people remembering a song for many years. An urban artist, in my time, we'd wait a year for an urban artist to release an album. And then we'd spend the whole year listening to it. That doesn't exist anymore.
You have several collaborations on this album, but the one you have with Saiko caught my attention. How did you come up with the idea of releasing a song with him?
The truth is that we realized that Saiko had a good movement in Europe. And he is one of the few artists that if you listen to him you don't know where he is from. And that is very good. That you can sing and hear yourself neutral. That caught my attention. He came here, to Miami, and we recorded the song in less than an hour. We loved the song. And it is one of the most popular on the platforms.
Saiko is one of the few artists that if you listen to him you don't know where he is from.
What other Spanish artists do you like?
I love Mora. I really like the flow he has and the way he sings. It's a strange mix of what he does. Omar Montes, he hits it really hard too. And Quevedo, he's also really good.
He is now returning from retirement.
Are you coming back with an album now?
He retired from music at the beginning of the year and is now back.
But if he was born on Monday, how is he going to retire?
Speaking of musical genres, it caught my attention that you have a soul version of Insomnio.
That was the first version we recorded. When I heard it I thought it was too slow. That it might even be a bit boring, so I added a bit of rhythm to it. And it came out a bit more urban.
And you, don't you feel like suddenly making an album in a completely different genre like soul or pop?
The truth is that it has never occurred to me to do something other than urban music, but I do know that I have the versatility to do it. Yesterday I was asked why I didn't make an album in English. A very good idea because I am bilingual. But it hadn't occurred to me. Who knows. I don't rule out making an album of another type of music in the next few years.
I don't rule out making an album of other types of music in the coming years.
Speaking of versatile artists, you were part of Karol G's early career in Leyendas and Mi Cama Remix. How do you see everything that's happening to her?
It makes me very happy to see where she is. It makes me very happy to see where she is. I did my bit. I sang many times and did collaborations when I was just starting out. And it was worth it to help and see where she is now. My respects to her.
Let's see if we see you collaborating together again.
Ah, whenever she wants. I'm waiting. When she wants and says, we'll give it to her.
Insomnia is now available on all platforms.
