Nicole Atkins – Mondo Amore
Nicole Atkins is a singer songwriter who grew up in Neptune, NJ. I lived in the area when I first heard her music back in 2007 – a little song called Neptune City. Something about the song just grabbed me immediately – something about the way she connected with her hometown and was able to put into words the changes that have taken place over the years. There was intense nostalgia in her music. Soon, I was hooked – got several chances to see her live, photograph her shows and meet her in person. The performances were always amazing, her voice is ridiculous and her band had great stage presence. I love to support local talented artists, so I quickly became one of her biggest fans, even attended one show while battling the flu, and emailed Perez Hilton until her music was featured on his site.