“Do Better” brings Lil Nico out into the big world of hip hop

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San Diego hip-hop and R&B artist Lil Nico is 17 and has released more than three dozen tracks, including three albums, since 2022, when he was 15.

The next song, “Do Better,” is dropping Tuesday, April 16.

“It’s a track to have fun with,” he said. “Most of my songs are like that. I like to have fun with them.”

Girl I could tell
I could tell you be wanting better
But just can’t seem to do better
Can’t seem to do better

He mostly writes his own beats, but this is one he got from a pack by K.E. On The Track, who has worked with artists such as Future, Lil Wayne, Gucci Mane and Etcetera.

Whether the beat is his or someone else’s, the main objective is to have fun with the music — to go with the beat.

“Honestly, man, that’s how I be with all my music. I just I feel a beat, however I’m feeling at the time,” he said. “I might be feeling a little toxic, or I might be feeling like making a little club banger. Whatever it is, I just feel it and then go into the booth and go off the top of my head mostly.”

“Do Better” falls under the other category in that he wrote out the lyrics. He claims that there wasn’t a lot of concept behind it, “just rhyme words, whatever sounds good.”

If there is a message, “I would say just prioritize yourself first. You know yourself best, so you know how to direct your situations.”

It’s not even about anyone, he said, except that, at the time he wrote it, according to his mom, he may have been going through something of a breakup. He isn’t sure, but she is.

The lyrics portray a girl who is struggling, thinking she needs a man, a better man than she’s got to feel better, or “do better,” but she can’t pull it off.

Lil Nico has been making music since he was 9, and about age 14 he started taking it seriously.

“I’ve been working,” he said. “I haven’t been as consistent as I probably should, which I am working on.”

Still, he has a lot of music out and a sound that is all his own, a sound he regards as unique, based in common sense but that is fun and exciting.

“I love music. It’s my sanity. When I listen to music, I like to vibe to it, I like to have a good time, feel it, enjoy what I’m listening to, and I want to bring that to the people, bring the good music back.”

“Just spread the love around the world,” he sums up. “Ain’t too much of that going on.”

He wants to be “one of the greats,” by which he means he wants to be remembered. He quotes Tupac.

“I want to do whatever I can do to be like Tupac said, ‘I might not be the one to change the world, but I’ll definitely be the one to spark the mind.’”

That brings up another message that might be in “Do Better” and in his music generally, if you are of a mind to find one: dream big.

“‘I’m real passionate about this. Always chase your dreams,” he said. “Dream big no matter what, no matter what anybody tells you, no matter what anyone thinks about you.”

To that end, “Do Better” has one more message.

“I want people to get out of it that I’m coming. I’m next. Like, you can’t do better than me.”

Do better. Connect to Lil Nico on all platforms for new music, videos, and social posts.

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Caterina Ross sings about the strength deep in your soul in the new single “Strong” off her fourth album Yes, I am Cat

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Spanish pop musician Caterina Ross has had international success, putting out music on two different continents. Now she is releasing her fourth studio album, Yes, I am Cat, featuring the single “Strong,” where she sings about inner strength.

“I think that is more important than what you show on the outside,” Ross said. “It is important to be strong inside and show that you can face everything, and can do anything.”

The song is complete with a music video that she filmed with horses, which she notes are strong animals, but at the same time they are very sensitive. This is a major theme in the song “Strong,” and something she was able to bring to visual life in the video and relates to humanity, as well.

“You don’t have to be afraid of showing your feelings or weaknesses, because it is a beautiful part of being a human being,” Ross said. “

Ross was born and raised on the island of Majorca, Spain, and has been singing since she was a teenager. She eventually turned to theater acting in classical plays, and went on to television and and musicals. Ross sang in several several pop rock cover bands, but then in 2013 she released her first single titled Don’t Miss the Time.” The next year she released her first album titled Pieces of Me through her production company Blau.

In 2015 she released her second album titled Remixed that included the award winning song “Sólo Me Queda Soñar, which was a big hit in her home country. This song was originally composed for a film in international festivals, and thanks to this track, she was able to come to the U.S. to sing. She was invited to various festivals to perform after the song became a huge success. One of Ross’s songs, “Let the sun just shine” received plenty of fanfare, as well.

In 2018, Ross was the recipient of 15 international awards, and in 2020 she was “Best International Artist” through the Hispanic Music Awards in Acapulco, Mexico.

Ross’s first two albums were in English, but her fans in Spain wanted her to speak in their native language. In 2021 she released Nunca Se Pierde, which she received several awards for in Mexico and Spain.

“During the pandemic I had a lot of time to compose that album, and the one I am going to release now,” she said.

Yes, I am Cat’s title is a play on Ross’s identity, as people call her Cat for short, but it is also her favorite kind of pet. The album is composed of 10 songs in English, with sounds of pop and a little bit of soul.

“In this album, I talk about the things around me,” Ross said. “I talk about friendship and things that I find important in my life. I am more mature than in the other albums so I reflect on things that have happened to me, or around me.”

Ross touches upon aspects like nature in her new album, as well. There is a song called “If I talk to the Earth,” speaking about being thankful and also apologetic to the Earth about all that has been done to it. There is another track about stray cats called “My Sheltered Cat,” as she operates and helps at shelters.

The record was created by Ross composing the songs and recorded with the help of her producer Daniel Ambrojo. Ambrojo has worked with established musicians across Spain, and is an excellent pianist and guitar player that Ross has high respect for. Ross said they put the bass line to the songs, and add other electronic instruments to help bring her ideas to life on record.

Ross explained that she doesn’t just sit down and compose songs. Normally she is in the car driving, and a song will come to her and she’ll start singing. The melody will come and then suddenly the lyrics will be there, and voila: she has a new song.

“I think I am quite content with the ideas in this album, with the melodies,” Ross said. “I expressed so many things I have inside. It’s expressing myself through music, and that is wonderful. It makes me feel very good.”

Being her fourth album, Ross was able to put out material that she loves and is proud of. She admits that she is not a fan of her first three records, saying she can’t even listen to them because this one is so much better.

“There is an evolution,” Ross said. “Growing up and learning. I have a vocal coach and I am still learning and developing my music. I am learning from other artists, especially the artists of the ‘80s like Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Madonna and Queen. I learn everyday. I want to do it better and grow up musically speaking.”

As Ross said, there is a constantly evolution in her music. She wants to improve the lyrics she has in English as it is not her native language. Ross will be taking courses in April to be able to grow as a songwriter.

Musicians like Michael Jackson have helped her develop the sound she currently has. Ross has always wanted to be like him musically, and said that his work taught her to believe in herself and put her all into her work.While she is inspired by the musicians she reveres, Ross also said it is important to not be too influenced by others and “just be you.”

“It is important to be authentic,” she said.

Check out Ross’s brand new album Yes, I am Cat, and the single and video for “Strong,” available on all platforms on March 22.

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