In conversation with Nile Bullock

Interview by Marie-Pauline Cesari & Jana Letonja

Actor, musician and artist Nile Bullock is starring in the Freeform’s summer hit series ‘Cruel Summer, which premiered its second season on 5th June. On top of all things acting, Nile is also a talented musician, artist and writer, who goes by the name ‘NBTalented’. He will be dropping his second album ‘Cyclone’ later this year. As an indie-artist his love for music hasn’t wavered, he tends to blend all of his talents together, including his love for dance. 

Nile, you’re a multi-talented artist. In addition to your acting career, you are also a musician, artist and writer. Can you tell us where your passion for all these artistic disciplines comes from? 

I get it from my parents. My dad is a jazz bass player and my mom is a singer and songwriter. They are definitely my biggest inspirations when it comes to the start in my love for the arts. Dance was one of my first passions that I showed extreme interest in, so I trained professionally until I graduated from high school. Around the same time I started training heavily in dance, I discovered my love for singing and music as well.

How do you manage to balance your various artistic talents? 

It can be very hard at times, but I love what challenges come from it, as it makes me work even harder than I already am. I have to say acting is where I spend a majority of my time right now, considering it’s my main source of income.Some may see it as a blessing and a curse, but acting isn’t always consistent, especially this early in my career. When I have gaps of time between projects, it leaves me with more space to work on music,dance and any other extracurricular activities I want to do. 

Who are your role models, your heroes and the people in your life who have inspired you to pursue your passions? 

Other than my parents, a lot of my inspirations bring me something different, whether it’s their creative minds, their dance moves, dedication to their craft, acting talent, etc. I’m inspired by Michael Jackson, Chris Brown, Michael B. Jordan, Jonathan Daviss, Denzel Washington, Will Smith, there are so many more I would love to name. My inspirations are always growing. 

Could you describe your musical style in a few words? 

It’s a roller coaster for sure. My style ranges in anything from hip-hop to pop, R&B, rock, trap and soul music.

You’ve worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry, from Lorde to Kanye West and even Bianca Bonnie. Is there any artist you’d like to collaborate with? 

There are so many talented artists it’s really hard to name all of them, but I’d love to work with Kendrick Lamar, SZA, Don Toliver, Sofaygo, BKTHERULA, Baby Keem, Ty Fontaine, Teezo Touchdown and Tyler The Creator, just to name a few.

What are your expectations for your next album ‘Cyclone‘ and how does it differ from your first album ‘333‘?

I like to describe ‘Cyclone’ as a reintroduction to who I am as an artist. ‘333’, which I made with my good friend and producer/engineer Ryan Matthews, was a reflection of that, but ‘Cyclone’ has a vast influence of versatility and different sounds. I’ve been working on playing with new sounds and pushing my creative ability as an artist with this album. It’s going to be one hell of a project and I’m excited for everyone to hear it. 

This summer you’re also starring in Freeform’s hit series ‘Cruel Summer‘ as Jeff, a filmmaker. What attracted you to the role of Jeff and the series in general?

One of the things that really attracted me to the role of Jeff was the relativity between me and the character, which made me instantly fall in love with the role. I love how mysterious Jeff is and how many layers he has, which you see play out throughout the second eason of the show. The first season left me amazed by the unique theme, writing and style of how the show was filmed. It was truly unlike anything I had ever watched before and that made me so excited to be a part of the second season when I was blessed with the role.

In the series, Jeff has a long, nursed crush on Megan and finally gets the opportunity to make his feelings clear, which brings a good amount of fun, drama and questions to the episodes. How would you describe the dynamic between Jeff and Megan in the series? What do you think makes their relationship interesting?

We start off at the beginning of the season knowing Jeff as the shy and quiet kid who hides behind his video camera. He has had this long nervous crush on Megan since elementary school and he makes his feelings clear to Megan. As soon as he tells her, he starts to break out of his shell a bit more and we learn after episode four that they have a small relationship. However, Megan‘s feelings for her best friend Luke get the best of her and the thought of Isabella taking him from her makes her uneasy. She ultimately ends up using Jeff as a crutch. I feel what makes this so interesting in the relationship is how it changes Jeff’s demeanor, as we see in episode three when he confronts Megan in the bar about lying on the sex tape. This moment paints Jeff in a whole new light instead of being the calm andquiet kid.

As you probably know, we’re a magazine that promotes art and culture, but we’re first and foremost a fashion magazine. Is fashion an important part of your personal life and career? Is it an artistic medium you’d like to explore?

Absolutely, fashion is a huge part of what makes me an artist. I’ve been expressing myself through my style since middle school and as I’ve gotten older, I developed a deeper love for exploring fashion. It’s even sparked interest in me designing my own pieces one day and hopefully doing collabs with big brands in the future.

What are your future aspirations? Are there any upcoming projects you’re working on, besides your new album, that you can share with us?

One of my aspirations is getting on the big screen, but right now, I’m just really excited about this project and role. I’m auditioning a lot, so you have to stay tuned. And on the music side, you can definitely expect a handful of singles, music videos and EPs coming from me over the months. 

photography TARRICE LOVE