International singer and musician Nico Grund has released “Give a Damn,” an upbeat rocker reminiscent of the most electrifying aspects of 90s mainstream guitar music. The single is now available for download and streaming on digital platforms worldwide.
“Give a Damn” tackles conformity in today’s world through the lens of Grund’s simple yet engaging lyrics. Straightforward lines like, “You put up a fight, questioning everything I do” stand alongside yearning pleas in, “Why do I care about what they say?” and “I just want to make it end.” The singer’s desperation comes alive in his clean, robust voice, borrowing from angsty pop-punk inflections as much as post-grunge and country crooners. The song’s arrangement is rich and layered: bright guitar riffs compliment thunderous drumming, and decorative piano and acoustic guitar passages – topped off with a searing guitar solo.
Born and raised in Cologne, Germany, Nico Grund got his first guitar as part of a school assignment at age fifteen. This started a love affair with music that led him to singing and writing his own songs by the time he moved to the UK for college. Following his graduation from University College London (known for spawning the likes of Coldplay and Alt-J), he signed to Dreamscope Records and started pursuing music full-time. Over the past few years, he performed his wide repertoire of covers and stunning originals in over a hundred venues in the UK and Germany. These originals, which showcase his polished songwriting, were from his self-released 2017 debut Black & White, a blistering 14-track with pristine arrangements and nods to recently bygone eras of guitar music, from soft-rock and country-pop to post-grunge. In addition to standing out with a handful of songs in German that highlight his bicultural identity, the album spotlights Grund’s musicianship, as he plays not just guitar, but bass guitar, piano and cello on several tracks.
“Give a Damn” proves Nico Grund’s knack for writing relatable, down to earth lyrics, and offering a youthful, fresh take on familiar rock traditions.
The single is now available for download and streaming on digital platforms worldwide. You can follow him by visiting nicogrund.com
