Nik Day

Nik Day from Idaho Falls, Idaho, is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was born on 24 July 1987 and is an accomplished singer-songwriter. It has been said that he sounds like John Mayer, Jason Mraz, and Michael Bublé. He has described his music as “a mix between Michael Buble and Jason Mraz, with a little Jamie Cullum. It’s jazz-influenced piano-pop with a hint of ragtime and a lot of soul … throw in some apple pie and you’re set.” He further comments that he loves music “because you can say things that you normally wouldn’t say and for some reason it’s okay. I love it because it brings out so many emotions, and helps us express them.”

ReverbNation notes that Nik writes songs “with such honesty and feeling that resonate deeply with listeners.” One of his latest songs, “Forgive Me (One More Time),” from a soon to be released album that he is recording and self-producing with Dave Zimmerman and Noisebox Studios, is of the same ilk as “The Way You Look Tonight” sung by Frank Sinatra, and Michael Bublé’s “Home.” Nik performs the song, which is the plea of a man who has made a mistake and faces losing the one that he loves the most, with such conviction that the audience can sense the agony that the man is feeling.

Nick is no stranger to music as it has always been a part of his life experiences. He was born in Japan, and because of his dad’s position in the Air Force, the family moved quite often. By the time Nik was six years old, he and his family had lived in Michigan, Washington, and Idaho. He recalls that at the young age of five he used to imitate his dad playing their upright piano. It wasn’t long before he began experimenting with his own short compositions which he was pleased to perform for his family. By the age of 13, his appreciation for music began to develop into something bigger. His short compositions inspired him to begin writing his own music. By the age of 16, he compiled a book of piano solos which he had composed and sold it to piano teachers and their students in his hometown of Idaho Falls.

That was only the beginning. In high school, he performed in an a cappella group and wrote the parts to a few original songs for them. However, still not being quite satisfied, he downloaded a recording program and tried his hand at producing music. His uncle provided him with loop libraries and he had a microphone that he plugged into his computer. With that setup, he was able to record his pop songs and experiment with integrating new instruments into his compositions.

After high school, Nik was accepted to Brigham Young University, Idaho (BYU-Idaho). He was not sure what he should study, so he did what came naturally to him – he studied music. He joined a jazz choir and toured California with them, but his true desire was to get his own music recognized. He started performing his music and soon became a regular at a local venue called “Heart, Mind, and Soul.” He later started playing large shows sponsored by the university called Acoustic Explosion and Guitars Unplugged before leaving to serve a two-year full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Mexico.

After his mission, he returned to BYU-Idaho for a semester before transferring to BYU in Provo, Utah. It was there that he pursued a degree that would fulfill his aspirations to become a music artist. He has commented, “I’ve learned you do what you’re passionate about and follow the road of least resistance.” After taking one songwriting class, he applied and was accepted into BYU’s Media Music Program. During his first year in the program, with the love and faithful support of his family, Nik recorded his first album called Interesting Shade of Blue named for his unique writing style which was influenced by Jazz and Blues music. The album was produced by Dan Reyes-Cairo. The title track of the album was inspired by a memory of flying into Mexico City, where he served his mission. He commented about the song:

The first time I flew into Mexico City, the sky was a dark brown color. I thought that was how it was going to be (for) the whole two years I was there. Later I found out that the sky was usually blue. It was a lot better than I anticipated. It doesn’t matter if the sky is brown or whatever color, as long as we enjoy the simple things with the people we love. . .. The song is basically saying that we should slow down … and love life.

That album opened new windows of opportunity for him to share his artistic abilities through music videos and a YouTube channel which he launched on 28 September 2010. As of mid-December 2015, his channel has amassed 6,849 subscribers and over 1.8 million views. He attributes the success that he has garnered to the many talented people who believe in him and get involved in his music. “It’s the law of attraction,” he says. “If you have good music you’ll draw good people to you.” Listening to his incredible music, people would never guess that Nik struggles with being able to read music. He relies on his strength on having a good listening ear. He has commented:

I have a really good ear, and it’s made it so I don’t have to read music very often. I can still write music down on paper and figure it out, but it definitely isn’t one of my strengths. I graduated… in commercial music…so I’m not completely incompetent. The more I do music, the more I realize that people don’t really care that I don’t read music, and it’s not required very often. If I had to choose between being able to read music and having a good ear, I would definitely choose having a good ear, because it helps me in the creative process.

Beyond producing his own music, Nik also writes music for the youth program in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, makes videos, and coaches others in their music. He recognizes that it is his Heavenly Father who has given him the talent for writing songs, and he puts his trust and confidence in Him as to where the incredible journey will lead him. He has further commented:

I think that the hardest thing about life is not knowing what the future holds. . .. but at the same time it is exciting to look ahead and visualize the possibilities. I had no idea that I’d be where I am today, and all of it is because of past experiences that have helped shape me into what I am. I am so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had and the trials I’ve had to overcome because they have taught me how to deal with present roadblocks and trials that I’m facing.

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