During his final year of high school, Nicholson was part of a band called Freak, which won an early round of Triple J Unearthed competition in the Sunshine Coast division. Shortly after this, the band name changed to Pretty Violet Stain and released an extended play in 1997 called Blush. This was followed by singles "If the Money's Right", "Never Come Down" and "Talk" and album Parachutes and Gravity, which was released in 2000. The band split shortly after.
2002-2007: ''It's a Movie'' & ''Faith and Science''
Nicholson signed with EastWest and released his debut studio album It's a Movie in 2002. It was during the recording of this album with Nash Chambers that Nicholson met Kasey Chambers. The two dueted on the lead single, "Designed to Fade". He toured in Australia and made his United States debut at the South by Southwest Festival, which prompted his signing with Virt Records and a more extensive American tour. USA Today named It's a Movie one of the top pop albums of 2004. A second solo album, Faith and Science, was released in 2006 and included the single "I Know What You Need", which became his first charting single, peaking at number 54.
2008-2013: Albums with Kasey Chambers, ''Familiar Ghosts'' & ''Bad Machines''
Nicholson joined with wife Kasey Chambers for the album Rattlin' Bones, which was released in April 2008 and debuted at number 1 on the ARIA charts. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2008, it won ARIA Award for Best Country Album. The album won five Golden Guitar Awards at the Country Music Awards of Australia in January 2009. Between tours he recorded a third solo album, Familiar Ghosts, which was released in November 2008 and was nominated for an Best Country Album at the ARIA Music Awards of 2009. This coincided with Nicholson moving into music production. In March 2011, Nicholson released his sixth solo album, Bad Machines, which peaked at number 29. Nicholson and his wife welcomed a baby girl on 6 October 2011, named Poet Poppin Nicholson. At the January 2012 CMAA, Nicholson won the Song of the Year for his song, "Bad Machines". Also in 2012, Nicholson won the APRA Country Work of the Year award for "Famous Last Words". In September 2012, Nicholson and Chambers released a second collaborative album, Wreck & Ruin was peaked at number 6 on the ARIA Charts. The album was nominated for 5 awards at the 2013 CMAA awards, ultimately winning the couple the award for "Group/Duo of the Year". At the ARIA Music Awards of 2013, the album won Best Country Album. Nicholson was named Producer of the Year at the 2013 Country Music Awards of Australia. On 23 April 2013, it was announced that Nicholson and Kasey Chambers had separated, with the collision of work and family life said to have forced their split.
2014-present: ''Hell Breaks Loose'' & ''Love and Blood''
In 2014, Nicholson signed a new recording deal with Lost Highway Australia/Universal Music, and released his first live album, Pitch, Roll & Yaw - Live and Solo. June 2015 saw the release of "Secondhand Man", the first single from Nicholson's album Hell Breaks Loose. The album was written amongst the break up of this married to Chambers. Released in August 2015, it debuted at #16 on the ARIA chart. Hell Breaks Loose won the ARIA award for Best Country Album at the ARIA Music Awards of 2015 and received 7 CMAA nominations at the 2016 CMAA awards. The album won Alternative Country Album of the Year Award. Love and Blood was released in July 2017 and debuted at #28 on the ARIA chart. It was nominated for Best Country Album at the ARIA Music Awards of 2017. At the CMAA in January 2018, Nicholson won Male Artist of the Year. Nicholson appeared as an on-camera music producer in ABC television production of The Recording Studio, a 10-part series that ran in April 2019. The music from the series won the 2019 ARIA Award for Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album. In May 2019, Nicholson was signed a publishing deal with Cooking Vinyl Australia. On 3 April 2020, Nicholson confirmed the digital reissued of his back-catalogue.
Personal Life
On 17 December 2005 Chambers married fellow country music singer-songwriter, Kasey Chambers. Chambers had sung on "Designed to Fade", on Nicholson's his debut solo album in 2002, which was produced by Kasey's brother, Nash. Subsequently, they co-released two albums, Rattlin' Bones and Wreck & Ruin. Chambers and Nicholson have two children: son Arlo Ray and daughter Poet Poppin. In April 2013 the couple announced their separation.
Discography
Albums
Studio albums
Live albums
Compilation albums
EPs
Singles
Awards and nominations
Americana Music Awards
The Americana Music Honors & Awards honours distinguished members of the music community. Nicholson has been nominated twice.
The APRA Music Awards is annual awards ceremony that celebrate excellence in contemporary music, which honour the skills of member composers, songwriters and publishers who have achieved outstanding success in sales and airplay performance. Nicholson has won two awards from five nominations.
The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. Nicholson has won three awards from eleven nominations.
