Today we’d like to introduce you to Nic Collins.
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?
I picked up the sticks at the age of 3 and never looked back. My first vivid memories come from watching my father, Phil Collins, on his “Final Farewell Tour” in 2004. I was able to watch my dad play drums and sing every night which ignited my passion for music. Growing up in Switzerland, I played drums as often as I could. However, it wasn’t until I moved to Miami, FL, and began playing in different local bands where my passion for drums amplified. In addition to my father, some of my biggest drum influences include John Bonham, Danny Carey, Taylor Hawkins, Gavin Harrison, Stewart Copeland, Abe Cunningham, Chad Smith, and Jon Theodore.
I began playing drums for my father’s solo band at the age of 14 for various charity events. Those charity events turned into more serious performances, such as the 2016 US Open opening ceremony, until I was finally asked to fill in full time in my father’s band for the “Not Dead Yet” world tour from 2017–2019. By the age of 18, I was fortunate enough to have already played at venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, Hyde Park, Madison Square Garden, and various other arenas and stadiums around the world. Shortly afterwards, I joined Genesis for their first reunion in 14 years for “The Last Domino?” tour in 2021. Following that, I took up drumming duties for Mike & The Mechanics on their 2023 “Refuelled” Tour and, most recently, on their 2025 “Looking Back – Living the Years” tour. Now, I am working on new material with my own band, Better Strangers, with longtime friends Yannick Waingarten and Joe Rodriguez. I hope to make an impact as a drummer and songwriter and hopefully can inspire the next generation of drummers along the way.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It’s not always been a smooth road, but I don’t think being a musician/artist is supposed to be smooth. A big struggle for my band, Better Strangers, has been finding a permanent singer. We were inactive for almost 2 years because of this which led us to try things out instrumentally. It’s been fun to be back on stage but we definitely aren’t closing the door to having a singer again in the future.
On a personal note, finding ways to stay inspired and motivated behind the drums can be tough, but having clear goals and working towards them is a way to stay on track.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a drummer and I’ve been lucky to go on tour with various artists such as Phil Collins, Genesis, and Mike + The Mechanics. I also play drums in my own band, Better Strangers, which is based in Miami. On top of that, I occasionally do session work and play on other people’s songs. I’m very proud of to have been involved in the tours I have and to have played to various audiences across the world. I’m also proud of my creative involvement in my band’s music, which is a very fulfilling part of my life.
I started playing drums at 3 years of age, and started touring professionally at 16. I’ve had a different upbringing to most musicians and have been lucky enough to gather a lot of experience at a young age. I like to think this gives me a unique perspective to other musicians and I try to help inspire the next generation of drummers by sharing my experiences and advice.
Any work/session inquiries can be sent to [email protected]
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I don’t come from a musical theory or educational background, so I’m not proficient at reading music. This means that I do pretty much everything by ear, which is a different, sometimes challenging, but rewarding process.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nic_collins
- Twitter: https://x.com/nic_collins21
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Nic_Collins
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/13nv0SVnHETnve3uknbafo
Image Credits
Jenna and Tevin Stoch, Patrick Balls, Roberto Badillo, Véronique Pelletier
