Biography

“It really is, in the simplest terms, me telling the story of the places I’ve been and the places I’m going,” says singer/songwriter Michael Nappi of his debut album, HERE WE GO AGAIN. “It’s both a look back at those defining moments that have shaped who I am today and a looking forward to facing things to come.” The third of six children, Nappi’s passion for music began at an early age with his introduction to his father’s vintage LPs. The Beatles, along with classic crooners like Johnny Cash and Elvis, captivated the youngster and sparked many an impromptu performance, most often staged on his apartment building’s courtyard benches – and, on one auspicious occasion, on the hood of the superintendent’s green Pontiac, a disastrous foray which ended with the young Nappi snapping the antenna in half and tumbling off the car. Inspired in equal measure by legends like James Taylor, Michael McDonald, and Stevie Wonder, and some of today’s freshest and most inventive artists, including John Mayer, Jason Mraz and Train’s Pat Monahan, Nappi’s passion for songwriting has only deepened. “The craftsmanship, eloquence and intelligence of their songs are unparalleled,” he says. “I’ve listened to James Taylor and thought, ‘Why would I ever write another love song? It’s been done to perfection.’ But, on the other hand, it sure makes me want to try. These artists raise the bar. They are the Shakespeares of our time.” In the fall of 2006, Nappi teamed up with producer/songwriter Steve Buonanotte to record HERE WE GO AGAIN. The album is a showcase for his dynamic range as a singer and songwriter. Remarkably versatile and unabashedly honest, he transitions seamlessly from sensitive, acoustic-based ballads to explosive pop/rock anthems, each melody-driven track blending acoustic and electric guitars, live rock drums and soulful groove loops to create a lush foundation for his expressive vocals and thoughtful lyrics. It has long been the artist’s prerogative to chart the map of his life in song, and HERE WE GO AGAIN is no exception. From exploring the cyclical nature of repeated mistakes (and the failed attempt to escape them) in the album’s title track, to reflecting on a missed opportunity with a lover in “Pretend,” Nappi bravely exposes more than a few of his personal watershed moments in the thirteen-track album. Throughout the whole of HERE WE GO AGAIN, Nappi delivers on both the pop and rock promises of the genre he commands, all with a nod to the blue-eyed soul that runs through his blood. He flirts in the feel-good fun of “Save the Night in a Bottle” and “Limousine” as effortlessly as he breaks your heart in the haunting “7:26,” his own voice breaking with raw emotion as he sings: “Every drop of rain/Has a story to be told/Before it hits the ground/Giving up and letting go.” “Love doesn’t always hurt,” Nappi confides. “It’s just easier to write about it when it does.” Like in “Gone,” the album’s first single, a hard-hitting rhythmic groove where Nappi unveils the paradox inherent in the self-preservation tactics we employ when we fear losing the one we love. “You know their tricks,” he reveals, “And you’re just preparing yourself for the day when they may leave. The ‘I won’t even miss you when you’re gone’ is such a defensive lie. It’s completely the opposite.” In all, HERE WE GO AGAIN finds Nappi coming full circle as he shares his journey through lyrics that resonate, timeless melodies and an unforgettably powerful voice. “Deep inside, I’m still just that little kid singing as loud as I can on the hood of Mr. Hornberger’s car,” he admits. “Here I go again.”