Nick Wong: Hawai‘i’s Rising Talent
By Mālielani Larish
In his music video entitled “Flowers,” Hawai‘i-grown musician Nick Wong strolls through cherry blossom trees, holding hands with a mysterious person who hides behind a waterfall of black hair. They laugh, dance, and stargaze together amidst the backdrop of Waimea’s charming natural beauty, caressed by playful winds and the golden hue of sunset.
Let’s take a chance together. Let’s take it and head out. To a place we both don’t know—I swear I will not let you down, Nick sings in the video.
Capturing the depth of his sincerity, these words apply equally well to Nick’s relationship to music. As he prepares to enter Berklee College of Music in Boston this fall, he has already left an indelible mark on Hawai‘i Island—he has worked as a professional drummer, music producer, songwriter, and drumming teacher, all before the age of 17. His goal? No less than topping Billboard charts, selling out arenas, and going platinum with an album. Judging by his polished style, musical virtuosity, and the heart-melting quality of his voice, the horizon looks bright for this Kona native.
Fly Me to the Moon
Nick’s natural gifts for music flourished at an early age; he received his first drum set in 2007, at the age of six, and started taking drum lessons two years later. Not long after starting lessons, he received his first opportunity to perform. The seventh and eighth graders at his alma mater, Innovations Public Charter School, were preparing to perform under the direction of Innovations music teachers Andrea and Luke Clebsch. The drummer who was slated to perform that night fell ill, and Nick, who was only eight years old at the time, was invited to join his peers on stage.
“How was it?” Luke asked him afterward, expecting Nick to confess to the first-time butterflies.
“It was so fun!” Nick replied.
Energetic and dedicated, his Innovations music teachers organized 26 public performances that year, all of which Nick played in. Nick continued to study drums every week with Luke, who took him through a curriculum that matched the standards of Berklee College of Music, the same world-renowned conservatory that Nick will attend as a student. Luke himself is a seasoned musician who owns a recording studio. Luke earned a BA in music production from Berklee and studied jazz guitar and ethnomusicology at Oberlin, another highly regarded conservatory of music.
“He has a real sense of discipline,” Luke says, noting that from the very first lesson, Nick absorbed every word and diligently practiced before the next lesson.
Nick is grateful for Luke’s consistent mentorship throughout his career, calling Luke “my second dad.”
Having mastered the drumming techniques that Luke taught him by the age of 10, Nick went on to study even more advanced techniques with Michael Surprenant, owner of Mana Music Studio, and Russ McKinnon, who played for the likes of Tower of Power and Barry Manilow. Nick even received feedback from one of the most acclaimed jazz fusion drummers in the world—Dave Weckl—through online lessons.
His family supported him every step of the way. “My parents have been my roadies for every gig,” Nick says. “From the very beginning, they have been so supportive.”
Nick’s peers benefitted from his patience and expert drumming skills; he taught drums at the Innovations after-school ensemble and at Big Island Music Academy, a nonprofit that Andrea and Luke Clebsch founded to empower youth through music education and performance. Audiences were especially mesmerized by Nick’s ability to simultaneously sing and play drums for “Fly Me to the Moon,” a famous Frank Sinatra classic.
Going Professional
Cementing himself as a professional at the age of 14, musicians from around the island sought Nick’s drumming expertise for their studio recordings and live shows. Soon after going professional, Nick landed a gig with Loren Wilken, a prolific pianist, composer, arranger, and teacher whose compositions have appeared on Oprah and Dateline. Every Tuesday night for one year, Nick and Loren served up jazz, fusion, pop, and ballroom dance music (including cha-cha, waltzes, and tangos) for the patrons of Gertrude’s, a jazz bar and restaurant on Ali‘i Drive. Nick says that this experience significantly contributed to his growth as a musician.
Another one of Nick’s career highlights was performing with the Sara Bethany Band at the 7th Annual Kona Jazz Experience in 2018. Before Michael Surprenant welcomed Nick to the stage at this Aloha Theatre event, he shared an anecdote about listening to one of Nick’s original recordings for the first time.
Michael recalls asking Nick: “You play those drums? They sound fantastic! Where did you find a bass player?” Michael asks Nick about each of the instruments on the track, revealing that Nick not only plays the drums, but sings and plays the bass, piano, and guitar. In conclusion, Michael says “He’s already well beyond me even at his young age.”
With the money that he earned from playing gigs, Nick built a professional recording studio at his home. Nick received a boost when Luke, who owns his own music production company called Truth Musiq, gave Nick a bunch of studio equipment and referred his clients to him.
“Everyone was super happy in working with him,” Luke says.
Ever humble and the first to downplay his achievements, Nick says that he learned music production because Luke Clebsch and Michael Surprenant “took me under their wing.” Thanks to the guidance of his mentors and his own experimentation, Nick’s music production skills advanced to the point where he could record, produce, and mix for other local artists.
Nick recorded and released his first single, “Alone Again,” in April 2019 with Luke’s assistance, but by his second release, Nick was already doing all of the mixing and mastering himself. His songs have a mellow, easy-listening vibe reminiscent of his three main inspirations: John Mayer, Charlie Puth, and Michael Bublé.
“He has a really good sense about structuring his songs. He’s got a feel-good, chill sound that is very captivating,” says Loren Wilken, who has a BA in music from the University of California, Santa Cruz and has won ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) awards for his original compositions.
My Heart’s So Heavy for You
Nick dove into pop music for the first time with his release of “Flowers” in March 2020. Graced with an upbeat rhythm and Nick’s stellar guitar solos, the song depicts the struggle and melancholy yearning of a developing romance. He sent the song to Audrey Poggensee, a junior at Kealakehe High School who is a talented videographer and photographer. Together, they decided that it would be ideal to produce a music video for the song. In search of a female actress for the video, Nick found someone who was willing to star in the role. Unfortunately, she called him up to cancel the night before filming. Nick told one of his close friends, Miko Domingo, about the news.
Half-joking, Miko offered to play the part.
Amused, Nick called Miko back to assess his level of seriousness about the offer, and they sealed the deal.
When filming commenced, Miko was transformed into the object of Nick’s affection with the help of a wig of waist-length black hair and high heels. The resulting music video reflects the same meticulous attention to artistic detail that goes into all of Nick’s songs, showcasing Nick as he sings and plays the guitar in Waimea’s green pastures and serene lanes.
Even though “Flowers” has a solemn tone (Tell me why my heart’s so heavy for you; ‘Cause my life is waiting at a table for two), the video contains light-hearted moments that give a glimpse into how much fun the trio had during the filming process. After posting it on YouTube, the video generated the marketing and commercial attention that Nick had hoped for.
Nick didn’t spend a cent on the making of his next pop single, “Silver Lining Love” (October 2020) because he did all the performing, recording, producing, mixing, and mastering by himself. With phenomenal vocals that emulate his musical idols, exquisite guitar playing, and heartfelt lyrics, “Silver Lining Love” is the kind of song that is likely to remain etched in your mind.
In response to “Silver Lining Love,” globetrotting singer-songwriter Ninamarie Jeffrey, who was also born and raised on Hawai‘i Island, posted on Instagram: “Love it @nickwongmusic! Keep sharing music. It’s a gift to us!”
With the ability to master whatever aspect of music that he concentrates on, there is no limit to Nick’s potential. His aim is to touch and inspire others with his music, and he hopes to make the connections he needs to advance his career while studying at Berklee College of Music. You can find Nick’s music on all of the major listening platforms, including Apple and Spotify. ❖
For more information:
Instagram: @nickwongmusic
facebook.com/nickwongmusic
