The Fairchilds Singer Picks Music Over Medicine

09/01/2011
. (skh) The Fairchilds will release their debut album Our Revolution via independent label Vertusent on September 27, 2011. Singer Cyril Niccolai sees his dreams realized with this release, having detoured from a career in medicine to follow his aspiration to become an international recording artist. Niccolai was raised in Nice, France, and contrary to the vision of his parents, his chosen path has become a case study displaying how perseverance and talent can make dreams come true.

Niccolai is a modern Renaissance man of sorts. An accomplished singer and songwriter, he has spent a decade honing his skills and becoming an artist ready for the world stage. Contemporaneously, he studied medicine and law in university, engages in a variety of sports including tennis, golf and scuba diving, dabbles in still and video photography, has a keen interest in literature and art, and aspires to run the New York City Marathon. For now though, his focus is purely on The Fairchilds. The band's moniker is a tribute to a Fairchild vintage amp used in tracking the debut recording.

Our Revolution is a compelling compilation of twelve tracks ranging from sing-along rock anthems to haunting ballads. The cumulative evolution of Niccolai's talents as a writer attests that he has found a voice that is with certainty his own. The first single "Unbreakable" is a poignant commentary on the pursuit of one's dreams against the odds. The Christmas prior to recording the album, the singer was at his family home in the Cote d'Azur with the album weighing heavily on his mind. He shares, "I was due to start recording in April and while I had enough strong repertoire for the release, I felt something was lacking." He was on the clock, and with a commitment to appear in a French musical for three months, the creative impetus of this quandary delivered "Unbreakable." He offers, "The song is a dedication to everyone who is going through a tough phase and the message is 'Hang in there, don't lose hope'. "

Niccolai's perpetual need to challenge himself is deeply rooted. He is the son of successful doctors, and he chose to trade the stability and predictability of a career in medicine for the bohemian lifestyle of a singer and songwriter. Unbeknownst to his parents, he auditioned for the role of the poet Gringoire in the smash French musical Notre Dame de Paris. He landed the role and with that opportunity summoned the courage to tell his parents of his plans for a career change. The news was not well received, but his performance at the premiere left them no doubts about his potential in his new career.

Our Revolution, his musical vision for The Fairchilds, combines bold, winning melodies with a broad perspective of the world and an unerring sense of uplift. Justice, hope and promise are recurring themes on the Jim Lowe (Stereophonics, Foo Fighters) produced album. Niccolai states, "Even when the songs are dark, I always try to give the songs a positive side. I know that the world is in turmoil. The news papers and television relentlessly remind me of this. But my main goal is to distract people from their problems and my music therefore has to be optimistic." That said nothing should be taken at face value with Niccolai. The title track "Our Revolution" is not an incitement to revolution as the title suggests, but a sly satire on a person's clich�d perspective of revolution, and the self-serving objectives sought and how without passion and determination all returns quickly to the status quo.

Niccolai will be arriving in America late-September, and calling the U.S. home for the foreseeable future. Home base will be the Southwest, with plans to travel across the country making appearances from coast-to-coast on the radio airwaves, and stages ranging from legendary clubs to vineyards. Day by day, Niccolai will be discovering a personal perspective of the streets where rock began. He offers, "It is a dream come true for me to be able to be present the album in America. I can't describe how happy, excited, and proud I am, but at the same time it is tremendously intimidating when I think of all my musical heroes who hail from there. I hope Our Revolution connects with the hearts and minds of the American audiences. And above all, I aspire to have fun, dream big, and share the moments music brings with audiences across the U.S.A., followed by The World."

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