Today we’d like to introduce you to Nick Lewert
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Hey! So, I tend to be a bit indecisive which leads me to overshare a bit. That being said, I’ll stick to all things music. I really got started pretty early. The classic, banging-on-Tupperware style videos in my kitchen exist on V.H.S. tape somewhere that my parents recorded. They like to reference the moment I traded my pacifier for my first green drum set. Fast-forwarding a bit, I never let it go. I always admired bands and performers. It was one of the only things that made me feel relatable to something. I participated in the obvious middle and high school orchestral and marching bands, but it wasn’t until after high school did I realize what there was existing outside in what everyone referred to as “the scene”. I was struggling to start my own band and all that that entailed, like writing music and booking shows. I had no idea how to run a band. I actually vividly remember speaking to the singer of the band I currently play with (Emmyn Calleiro/ Games We Play) for the first time on the phone sometime in 2017. He had already had plenty of experience with how to lead a band and putting himself on people’s radar, which is why that conversation has really stuck with me. I started my first group and in the meantime left college and started touring with Ethan Bortnick (Columbia Records) at the end of 2017. It was my first touring experience and really some of my first ever shows that I would qualify as “professional”. In 2018, I began performing with another established band from the South Florida scene called The Haunt. I performed and produced music as well as music videos with them from 2018 through 2023. The project had the opportunity to tour with acts such as Palaye Royale, The Struts, and The HU mainly in North America and some spanning to Europe and the UK.
In the Fall of 2023, I became close friends with Kyle Fink (guitar/ Games We Play). We had seemingly been living paralleled versions of our lives at the time and easily understood each other. In December, Kyle informed me that I would be receiving an offer to play with Games We Play as their new drummer. I just thought about how poetic it felt having always held on to the first conversation I had with Emmyn about starting my own band, and getting the opportunity to play with them after all this time. I of course accepted and we joined Fall Our Boy, Jimmy Eat World, The Maine, and Hot Mulligan for 7 shows of their tour in North America in the Spring of 2024. My first show ever with the band was at the Kia center in Orlando to 15,000 people. Following a few shows later was our slot at Madison Square Garden in New York. This experience was nothing short of notable, and some of the most memorable moments of my life so far. My family was able to come to both shows which I don’t hold lightly in my mind. The rapid change of pace from being unsure of where I’d wind up, to being sent off with my best friend on the craziest tour for two months felt almost scripted, but what I always dreamed of: having a blast touring with my friends in a van. I am still touring with Games We Play and at the time I’m writing this, am leaving for our Winter headliner in a few days for the month of November. I couldn’t feel more appreciative for the experiences I’ve had so far with Games We Play and hope we get to see a lot more of the worlds venues and cities together.
Another pretty new thing I’ve got coming up is my first album. I didn’t really initially intend on it being the way that it is, but in the Fall of 2023, I went through a handful of transformative experiences. I started writing casually and within a few months, had a pretty, I’d like to think, cohesive set of songs about everything I needed to get off my chest. I was playing it for Kyle, and upon the first time hearing one song in particular, he interjected with his vision. I naturally was on board and in 24 hours, he had sent back a completed rendition of what the song came to be. Over the course of the next four months, we consistently recorded together and after a considerable amount of time and attention to detail, we have chosen to release the first CRXSSOURHEARTS song “Cheerleader” on November 15th, 2024. It’s been a long personal battle with these subjects, the crippling feelings of imposter syndrome, and my attempt at conveying them as nuanced depictions of my life, but I hope someone can connect to the material in the way it’s guided me throughout the most intense year of my life.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
HAHA. No. Definitely not by any means. But that’s okay. I’ve already very much sounded cliche so it’s fine to continue on that note but I think that it’s necessary to have obstacles that challenge your path, whatever that may be. I think it provides you with the substance to, as far as art goes, create something meaningful. Not to say that you can’t without it, but the perspective something intense and heavy leaves you with impacts your ability to process feelings, and that seems natural to me.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Well I guess I sort of overshared detail in a way on the “tell us your story question”.
I am first, a drummer. I enjoy writing and producing music and occasionally some music video filming/ editing, but I’m mainly a live musician at the moment. If I’m “known” for anything, it would be that. I define you hyper-fixate which is something I think I’ve harnessed as far as music and creation goes. I am proud of being able to make use of something that I have to navigate in other aspects of my life.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I’ve always enjoyed living in south Florida. I think after 25 years, I’ve pretty much seen what there is to see. I like that there’s more to it than people realize when you may think of “Florida”, and I probably wouldn’t be anywhere close to where I’m at in my life if I grew up even a state or two away from here.
It’s an obvious answer but the heat is grueling and there’s absolutely NO upside to the heat. After 25 years, the beach doesn’t make it worth the 105 degree, 9-10 month a year weather and the occasional catastrophic hurricane.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicklewertdrums/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nicklewertdrums
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/65qNOIFNZuullUnlk70S5N?si=n5FNn833R2yPxeJ9K1Yigw
Image Credits
Photos by Juneau Janzen, Juan Flores and Trey Karnes
