Nic Preen is a musician and songwriter who hails from Cape Town, South Africa. He was involuntarily thrust into following a dream of music from a young age, after making his father cry during a rendition of Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) at his mothers ‘Mamma Mia’ themed 40th birthday party. He’d be pushed into joining several bands and perform at local venues around Cape Town, most notably becoming the frontman of one of South Africa’s biggest Indie-Pop exports; Al Bairre. In 2018, he co-founded the band The World Of Birds, which quickly gained a following and became a staple of the Cape Town music scene and gave Preen an audience on the international stage, a band in which he still resides with more birds music set to be released in 2023.
After years of touring and recording in bands, Nic made the bold decision to move to London after receiving an endorsement from the UK Arts Council and signing with the record label, Platoon. In his time working between Cape Town and London, he has devoted some of his songwriting to this personal project. Inspired by his new surroundings, and in search of ideas for more music, he began writing and recording as much new material as possible, only to find he’d already had a collection of finished material in a forgotten library deep in his desktop. Tracks found have culminated in what is to be an upcoming EP titled ‘Scraps’. A collection of songs written over the past few years in mind for other projects but now finding a happy home within his solo music, an impatient preen itching to showcase his eclectic style and ability to blend various genres, from indie rock to electronic music. Furthermore after hearing Damon Albarn’s quote that ‘artists are sometimes too precious and there are many forgotten songs that would be hits’, the surfer-songwriter has made it his mission to double his discography in 2023. This current discography can be heard via ‘Preen’s Playlist’ on all streaming platforms.
‘Jitterbug’ is the first single from Scraps demonstrating Nic’s versatility as a songwriter and lyricist. It is a poignant tribute to the late George Michael.
This song found its origin in a The World Of Birds writing session, with bandmates and producers Ben & Conor McCarthy. Nic being a huge fan of the lyrical masterpiece ‘Raphael’ by Beatenberg wanted to write a similar tribute song, where the lyrics were dedicated to another he admired, as is Rafael to both the tennis player and painter. Being a huge fan of the pop icon George Michael and devastated by his sudden passing on Christmas Day in 2016, ‘Jitterbug’ was born – a nostalgic and heartfelt song that captures the sense of loss felt by fans all over the world. Interwoven with references and adulation to his incredible career, the chorus can be applied to anyone dealing with loss and is a reminder that when someone is gone they are not forgotten. The song is possibly one of Preen’s biggest collaborative efforts to date, calling on friends and heroes for further collaboration, ultimately featuring Matthew Field and Ross Dorkin, of the band Beatenberg, making the original inspiration for the track come full circle.
‘Scraps’ is a very meaningful episode in Preen’s musical career and seems a perfect palate cleanser for what is to be a considerable turning point in the artist’s sonic journey.
Stream Nic Preen’s ‘Jitterbug’ HERE
