Biografy

Nico Battaglia was born in Trani, a city north of Bari, in 1980.  From a very young age he started to cultivate his musical talent, working with many Christian artists as a guitarist and vocalist.

His passion for God led him to serve with joy and determination of his local church leading praise and worship and writing songs for the edification of the church and to honor God.

In 1996 he met Evan Schoombie, a South African singer, with whom he undertook a process of professional formation, nourished by deep feelings of friendship. Together, they worked on a project called “AGGI” (All Good Gifts International) which allowed Nico to step in the international scene shoulder to shoulder with Evan, who is the president of said mission. Nico took part in numerous tours in Italy, Switzerland, Holland South Africa and Israel. Still, throughout his work Nico never lost sight of Italy, performing in numerous concerts and gigs throughout the country and collaborating with several artists.

Between 2001 and 2002 Nico had the opportunity to enhance his artistic experience through a special collaboration with Italian singer Sara Alicino on a project called “Profumo di Lode” (Scent of Praise). The following year, Nico Battaglia’s first solo album entitled “Isola di Grazia” (Island of Grace) was released in the Christian music scene. The production of this debut project was accomplished thanks to the contribution of Lancelot Records and AGGI. The album contains ten tracks, and Nico Battaglia wrote all the lyrics and the music himself.

Two years following the release of his first album, the young singer-songwriter collaborated with Evan Schoombie on yet another project called “Completo” (Complete) – a live DVD recording of a concert held in George, South Africa. This venture figures as a break of sorts in Nico’s own discographic production, since in 2006 his second album was released into the market. “Un Mondo di Mondi” (A World of Worlds) – this is the title of Nico’s latest CD, which contains ten previously unreleased songs depicting the author’s life’s walk and artistic growth.
This album boasts an entirely acoustic and international sound enhanced by a string orchestra consisting of 22 musicians directed by maestro Vito Clemente and recorded in Bari at Tommy Cavalieri’s Studio Sorriso. The project has been shaped by quite
a few international influences: it was made in Cape Town, South Africa, recorded in September 2005 by sound technician Timoteo Alicino at the SABC Beach Road Studio using acoustic instruments only. The album was mixed at the Fonoprint Studio A (Bologna) and at the Contact Studio (Turin) by Lorenzo Cazzaniga, Davide Roveri and Manù Saladino. Maurizio Biancani did the mastering at the Fonoprint Mastering Uno (Bologna).

Since 2007 he has been involved in a partnership with Compassion, a non profit organization operating in the field of child sponsorship. In November 2007, Nico took part in a missionary trip to Tanzania, where he had the opportunity to see how the association operates with the children on the field. (www.compassion.it)

On September 29 of 2007, at the Politeama theater in Palermo, Nico Battaglia recorded an album of a live concert comprising the entire span of his artistic career in the last few years of work. The concert has engaged a band of nine and a string orchestra of sixteen musicians. The CD and DVD of this concert were released in September 2008. The album is entitled “Più Vicino”.

In 2008 Nico started a production company, the v + _ production, with the aim of producing, promoting and encouraging artists consecrated to God who wish to express their love for God through music

In 2009 Nico married Ester and moved to the province of Varese.

Between 2010 and 2011 there were several significant episodes in the life of the singer. In 2011 he toured in Italy and abroad, which was an enriching experience both from the artistic and the ministry point of view. England, Brazil and Albania were the nations where the songwriter had an opportunity to promote Christian music.

In 2011 Nico became an endorsing artist for acoustic guitar maker McPherson Guitars ®.

In 2012 he released his latest record “Cielo Dentro Me” (Heaven Inside of Me).
“Cielo dentro Me” features tracks which not only reflect the pop style of the singer-songwriter from Puglia, in songs like “Senza Te”, “Cielo Dentro Me” and “Dedicata a Te”, but also venture into the theatrical genre where music takes an active part in narrating the lyrics, as seen in the beautiful song “La Tua Veste”. Nico has added the pop-electronic genre to his artistic baggage, joining the New Zealand-based Parachute Band in a duet that is certainly a novelty for our beautiful country, the bonus track is entitled “Run To You”.

The record is enhanced by another international collaboration: “The Salvation Poem” is a song written by Matt and Sherry McPherson and recorded in Nashville (US). A new version of this song was specially released for the Italian rendition by Nico Battaglia. The song’s title in Italian is: “Il Poema della Salvezza”.

The artistic direction was managed by Riccardo Samperi, who recorded and mixed the entire production at TRP Studio in Tremestieri (CT), with excellence and passion. The mastering was done by Antonio Baglio, at Nautilus studios in Milan.

Some of the musicians who have enriched this album with their participation are longtime associates of Nico, including Vincenzo De Luca on drums, Gabriele Schintu on electric guitar and Salvatore Romano on bass. Pierpaolo Latina and Giuseppe Furnari also gave a valuable and important contribution to the song arrangements and the recording of the piano and keyboard parts. The string section and the vocalists (Marcello Spina, Alessio Nicosia, Simone Paradiso, Alessandro Longo, Teresa Raneri, Roberta Zitelli) also played an important role in the record.

The last track of the album is the Portuguese version of the song “Senza Te”. The title in Portuguese is “Sem Ti”.

In the last 15 years, there have been numerous participations and invitations to conferences, festivals and events in Italy and abroad.

Nico had the opportunity to share his music in different countries, including: the Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain, Albania, England, Germany, Israel, South Africa, Canada, Brazil, Ecuador.

In addition, Nico Battaglia serves as one of the general directors in the staff of “Generazione Scelta” – a well-known youth movement – and has been involved for many years with “Adolescenti d’Oggi”, a Christian association providing activities and programs for teenagers all over Italy.

DISCOGRAFY
2003 – ISOLA DI GRAZIA
2006 – UN MONDO DI MONDI
2008 – PIU’ VICINO live
2009 – DVD PIU’ VICINO live
2012 – CIELO DENTRO ME

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