After wowing fans worldwide with her too close to home project, Tucker Nichol is giving the R&B masterpiece “Nah” new life as a single, encouraging listeners to shrug off toxic energy and not regret making the right choice for themselves. Lyrics like “you lost your right to be concerned when you were fanning flames just to watch me burn” bring to life a story about being at rock bottom in a situation and starting to realize you deserve better, then giving yourself exactly that. It’s empowering and emboldening in a time when women are constantly told to be “nice” and tolerate more than they have to, painting Tucker as the kind of fearless role model that any modern woman should have in her life.
“I remember crying until the tears finally ran dry… and then I reached a place where I could find a bit of humor in the toxicity that was endlessly exuding from these particular people,” Tucker tells TREMG. “It’s like they can’t help themselves. The idea of the song started as a “laugh so you don’t cry” situation. I was obviously incredibly hurt by their behavior leading up to this, but as time went by, I became increasingly baffled by their lack of awareness or accountability. I had to sit back and realize that no amount of reasoning would ever work with these people. Some people are just that toxic that the only thing you can do to protect yourself is to cut ties entirely.”
For those who haven’t discovered her music yet, you may recognize Tucker from her time as Miss Tennessee in 2010 or even Taylor Swift’s 2007 “Teardrops On My Guitar” music video as Taylor’s crush’s stunning girlfriend. Much like Taylor, Tucker pours her all into each and every lyric she writes, painting a vivid picture of a specific situation while also sharing relatable messages that anyone can connect with.
“LOVE Taylor,” Tucker shares. “I’m a longtime fan of hers. I remember trying to play it cool because I had been religiously listening to her album for a couple months straight before my talent agency even sent me on that audition. When the director, Trey Fanjoy, was explaining the background and setting of the video during my audition, I remember blurting out ‘is this for “Teardrops On My Guitar?!?”‘ Fast forward, I end up cast as Taylor’s love interest’s love interest in that video. It was such a fun day.”
With so many incredible career moments behind her, and so many yet to come, Tucker has more than proven that she’s ready to take on the world. She has the work ethic, the talent, and the passion to keep motivating and uplifting each and every fan she meets along the way, and she’s doing so on her own terms at her own pace.
“I wish I had stopped comparing myself to others much sooner,” she explains. “I wasted so much time falling into the ‘Comparison Trap.’ I wish I had understood more back then that my timeline doesn’t have to look identical to anyone else’s. I just keep my head down, do my work, and hope it translates. I’m learning more and more to just enjoy the journey overall rather than being obsessed with the next destination.”
We can’t wait to see how Tucker’s journey unfolds! You can keep up with her on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, and keep reading for more from our conversation with this inspiring artist.
Congrats on your newest single, “Nah!” How does it feel to
share the song with the world and let it shine on its own after
appearing on your too close to home album?
Thank you so much! It feels great. I was getting a lot of messages and comments from friends and new listeners about really loving “Nah,” so I was excited to highlight that one and give it it’s own time to shine.
“Nah” is the ultimate unbothered anthem, shrugging off a toxic
person in favor of moving forward. What inspired the song,
and what advice would you give to someone who’s struggling
to move forward from that kind of situation?
That song was born out of so much pain and confusion. Years and years and years of begging and pleading for even just the bare minimum. I remember crying until the tears finally ran dry… and then I reached a place where I could find a bit of humor in the toxicity that was endlessly exuding from these particular people. It’s like they can’t help themselves. The idea of the song started as a “laugh so you don’t cry” situation. I was obviously incredibly hurt by their behavior leading up to this, but as time went by, I became increasingly baffled by their lack
of awareness or accountability. I had to sit back and realize that no amount of reasoning would ever work with these people. Some people are just that toxic that the only thing you can do to protect yourself is to cut ties entirely. Sometimes setting boundaries isn’t enough. Some people live to tap dance over the very clear lines you’ve drawn time and time again… and that’s simply not okay.
I had to realize that they were going to self-implode all on their own and I, ultimately, made the best and healthiest choice for me and my loved ones and chose to go no-contact. And do I regret making the healthiest choice??? Absolutely not. My choice was made with a lot of prayer, care, and consideration. My advice would be to be incredibly honest with yourself about the situation. Don’t create a “new and improved” version of people in your head that do not exist. When someone shows you who they are time and time again, you need to believe them. Sometimes your life depends on it. It is important to know the difference between relationships where you can simply set boundaries to be able to coexist… and the relationships that need to be severed entirely due to how unhealthy they are.
Is there a certain lyric on “Nah” that you’re particularly proud of?
“You lost your right to be concerned when you were fanning flames just to watch me burn.” I love that line. The Subject of the song spent YEARS tormenting me physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually…. and had the nerve to still continue to call around digging for info about me and my household. Anyone who wreaks that much havoc has absolutely no right to access to my life or that of my loved ones.
We love the music video for “Nah,” which centers around a press conference and ensuing viral videos! How did you come up with the concept, and what was it like on set?
Thank you!! My husband played in the NBA for many years and I’ve always loved watching the press game interviews. Every few games, someone says something so out of pocket and it becomes a hilarious viral moment. When I was in the studio writing and recording this song,
the Kyle Kuzma viral interview from the NBA finals had just happened. A lot of what he said in that interview directly reflected the vibe of how I felt finally being “free” of the people who so desperately wanted to see me drown. So I loved the idea of someone interviewing me after a huge game…asking me, in retrospect, would I do anything different? Would I go back to these people? Would I consider unblocking their contacts from my phone? The answer, of course, is “NAH!”
On the “Nah” video release day alone, you got support from the likes of MTV Live, MTV Spankin New, and VEVO Incoming R&B! What has it been like for you to see how much fans are loving the song and the video?
It doesn’t feel real at all!! My team laughs at me because my reaction to news like this is always so deadpan…I’m always like “wait really?? Like…the real MTV? The actual VEVO?? Are you sure???” I always feel like
someone is playing a joke on me because, like I said.. it doesn’t feel real. It’s very very cool. I’m incredibly appreciative of and grateful for the recognition the song and video have been getting.
Some fans may recognize you from your time as Miss Tennessee USA in 2010! Is there anything you learned during that time that you’ve carried with you in your music career?
My year as Miss Tennessee USA actually shaped so much of how I operate still to this day. I feel like I am still incredibly disciplined and efficient with my time… the foundation for that was definitely built in my pageant days.
Conversely, is there anything you’ve learned during your music career that you wish your younger self knew?
I wish I had stopped comparing myself to others much sooner. I wasted so much time falling into the “Comparison Trap.” I wish I had understood more back then that my timeline doesn’t have to look identical to
anyone else’s. I just keep my head down, do my work, and hope it translates. I’m learning more and more to just enjoy the journey overall rather than being obsessed with the next destination. I, of course, have so many huge goals, but I don’t want to allow the hope of those goals to
create lack-of-enjoyment for where I presently am.
You recently posted about how much Taylor Swift has inspired you over the years, and you even appeared in the “Teardrops On My Guitar” music video! As a fellow Swiftie, I have to ask: what was it like to work with her on the video, and what are your favorite songs from Midnights?
LOVE Taylor. I’m a longtime fan of hers. I remember trying to play it cool because I had been religiously listening to her album for a couple months straight before my talent agency even sent me on that audition. When the director, Trey Fanjoy, was explaining the background and setting of the video during my audition, I remember blurting out “is this for ‘Teardrops On My Guitar?!?’” Fast forward, I end up cast as Taylor’s love interest’s love interest in that video.
It was such a fun day. Taylor was incredibly kind. Tyler Hilton, who played “Drew” in the video, was also so down to earth and fun to hang with! I used to run into Taylor a bunch around Nashville, but I haven’t seen her in a long time. It would be an amazing full-circle to see her again after all of these years! My absolute favorite song on Midnights is “You’re On Your Own, Kid.” Runner-ups would be “Anti-Hero” and
“Question…?”
For anyone who isn’t familiar with your music already, which songs from too close to home would you recommend to them to get a feel for who you are as an artist?
“This Is Why,” “Must Be Nice,” and “Over the Edge.”
We at TREMG love getting to know new artists who haven’t gotten the success or attention they deserve. Who are some of your favorite underrated artists at the moment?
I’ve been loving Gracie Abrams. Her writing is so raw and honest. As far as underrated artists: Victoria Monet!!! She is absolutely brilliant and should be a megastar.
What can your fans look forward to in 2023?
Lots and lots of new music!! And a few more videos.
