Nick Pound, known as Sonic Keys, is an inspiring musician who demonstrates that it’s never too late to pursue one’s passion. In his 30s, he blends soul-stirring falsetto vocals with a contemporary piano style, captivating audiences with a unique mix of genres, including piano, house, and trip-hop. Influenced by legends like Billy Joel and Massive Attack, Nick aims to share positivity and hope through his music, drawing from his own life experiences. Starting his musical journey at just 7, he began writing songs by 15 and has since topped unsigned artist charts internationally. His upcoming debut EP will delve into his struggles with self-confidence and the balance between work and music, marking a significant milestone in his artistic journey.
Aria Cook is a talented Brisbane-based singer-songwriter known for her captivating vocals and impressive keyboard skills. After gaining extensive live experience and performing at major festivals, she made waves in 2024 with her debut single ‘Vampire’, which topped the US indie chart aBreak58. Her collaboration with US hitmaker Tanner Southerland on ‘Come Over’ solidified her status in the music scene, charting for four weeks on the Atomic Top 20. After returning from a hiatus with her band Vegas Rayz, Aria has flourished in her solo career. Aria Cook recently supported Sheppard at the 2025 Australian Jamboree in Maryborough, QLD.
On Friday 28 February, Sonic Keys & Aria Cook released the single ‘The Long Way Home’, produced by renowned producer Stuart Stuart. At the time of publishing this interview, ‘The Long Way Home’ has more than 5,000 Spotify streams in its first week, a sign of the future for both Sonic Keys and Aria Cook, as two of Australia’s brightest new talents.
I recently had a chat with Nick & Aria to find out more about their musical journey.
Can you remember the first song you ever wrote or performed?
Nick: “The first song I remember writing was actually for a music exam back in the UK. I was 15 and it was a practise exam before the real ordeal a year later. I was given a chord sequence and 30 minutes to come up with an arrangement. I remember being really impressed with what I came up with as I scored an A. However I remember it was a mixture of Stock, Aitken & Waterman’s winning formula for writing a song and perhaps something Paul McCartney would have come up with. Wasn’t my best work as your first written song never is. However I got a good grade which I believe led me on the way to where I am now.”
Aria: “The first song I ever performed was Message to My Girl by Split Enz. I was in Year 9 and I had this music assignment due – a performance. I had been getting piano lessons for a few years at this point. Being studious like I was, I thought to myself ‘how can I get myself an A on this assignment?’. As the assignment due date approached, I was determined to ace it but I needed do something else. Take a risk. I needed to upskill in some way and not just play another piano piece. So, I thought I’d try my hand at singing and playing piano together, something I’d never done before. In fact, I had never sung in front of anyone before or even had a vocal lesson. To be honest, it was quite uncharacteristic of me. I wasn’t confident by any stretch of the imagination, and I have always been very shy natured but I felt something compelling me to give it a try. Some kind of quiet inner voice, telling me I could do it and maybe, even be good at it. Upon reflection of this day, that decision would end up being one of the defining moments of my musical journey. The beginning of something exciting. Message to My Girl is now one of my favourites, a special song near and dear to my heart. Not just because of Neil Finn’s exceptional lyricism or even because of the beautiful piano accompaniment but because on a much larger scale, it was about realising my own potential. And yes, for those wondering, I did get an A!”
Did you ever consider focusing solely on singing, or did the desire to play instruments always feel like a natural extension of your musical identity?
Nick: “When I started playing the piano and singing at the age of 7 a part of me always wanted to be great at both. To be able to use both talents together is very rare and it was something I believed I could do. As time went on though I focussed more on my singing individually as well as in school and church choirs. This lead me to winning a couple of singing competitions and representing Australia in Burma back in 2017 at the “ISing” international singing championships. I did play the saxophone for a few years though between the ages of 13 & 17. However now Im in a great place to pick up playing the piano and singing once again. As, to be honest, I have missed combining both skills together and feel amazing magic when my fingers touch the pinao keys and I take the first breath.”
ARIA: “Funnily enough, it was kind of the other way around for me. I started out learning piano, getting piano lessons for 2 or 3 years before I worked up the courage to start singing. Piano was almost a kind of gateway for me into the world of singing. That’s the beautiful thing about music; that once you start immersing yourself into it, different layers of creativity and expression start to take shape and before you know it, you’re learning all sorts of things you didn’t necessarily anticipate. But I enjoy it, nonetheless.”
Who are some of the key artists or genres that have shaped your sound and musical style over the years?
Nick: “This all ranges mostly from the decade which I grew up in and ultimately defines me, the 90’s. In spending plenty of time on summer holidays in Florida to avoid the rainy damp days in the UK I grew a really big passion for Soul & R’N’B genres in general. So early inspiration being Simply Red and Massive Attack but then ranges into the soulful sounds of Luther Vandross as well as the Babyface productions such as Boyz 2 Men. Fast forward into present day artists such as Teddy Swims, Sam Smith & Ed Sheeran now define my current sound with some of their amazing classics. However I still hold on to the amazing and exciting sounds I heard from my childhood growing up in the 90’s.”
Aria: “To be completely honest, I am still finding my musical style. I try to listen to as much as possible and learn from so many different artists and musicians. Essentially, I’m a sponge and at this point, I’m still trying to soak everything up. I’m still learning but with every new project or opportunity that comes my way, I feel a little closer to really knowing my style. Like truly knowing. There are so many bands and artists I love but anyone who knows me will tell you Sheppard are a definite influence on me currently. Everything from their sound, their vibe, fashion and body positivity sentiments in their music. Their songwriting strikes the perfect balance between catchy melodies and beautiful, intelligent songwriting that I can only hope to master in my own original material. I definitely take a lot of my cues from them. In fact, I consider them role models. A real class act. Welsh singer Duffy has also been an influential artist I would say, having grown up listening to her since childhood. Her sound was just something I was always really drawn to and intrigued by. Her music is without pretention and is relatable, emotional and genuine. I often sing her songs at my own gigs and it just makes sense. I connect really well with her sound.”
What achievement or recognition are you most proud of, and how did it impact your perspective on your music career?
Nick: “I am most proud of my debut single “Unchain My Soul” charting at #1 in regional Australia, #1 in an unsigned independent artists chart in the US and being a semi-finalist in the UK as well as Australian songwriting contests last year. This was my first proper release as a solo artist which made it to all the streaming platforms and gained some radio play along the way. The release and what goes into making the track sound professional really opened my eyes on how much work goes into the whole process. A lot of people don’t realise how much gets done behind the scenes to get a track charting. One minute I was 10 hours in a recording studio with Dan Shapland producer of “Unchain My Soul”. The next I’m watching release day streams come through which is always so nerve wracking. With this process of achievement it’s definitely impacted my direction as an artist. However with the current release “The Long Way Home” and doing this alongside Aria it’s certainly comforting to know I’m not alone when it comes to releasing music. Other artists go through the same arduous process each time too.”
Aria: “I’ve already had so many wow moments in the few years I’ve been active in the music scene but an achievement I am especially proud of is getting accepted into the Conservatorium for pop piano/keys. I have seen my piano competencies improve so much since starting at the Con. I feel I have really expanded my creative ‘toolkit’ and begun to create more inspired and interesting songwriting. Not only do I feel I have built my skills as a player but also I feel more confident behind the keyboard. I used to view me and the piano as competitors but now I am beginning to really have fun with it and not be so preoccupied with perfection. It’s been a rewarding process of growth and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work on my artistry in this capacity under the guidance of seasoned educators and musicians.”
What’s been one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your music career, and how did you overcome it?
Nick: “This would have to be performing in front of my Mum and when my parents had guests around. When my parents found out that I could sing at a young age they tried to get me to sing every time they had dinner parties for guests. I didn’t end up doing it as I would shy away and go to my room. From those moments I had a bit of stage freight and anxiety performing. As I got older and started songwriting I realised I had to overcome this challenge otherwise my music and performing live would never happen. I finally started entering singing competitions here in Australia which meant rehearsing in front of my Mum on the couch. With practise and time on stages I eventually gained an amazing level of confidence and can now stand up in any room with a microphone in hand and sing to crowds. My Mum finally got her wish too, me singing to her and a glass of wine in hand too. Next up with this confidence, getting up on stage and singing live alongside playing the piano. Stay tuned……”
Aria: “My career in music to date has been fraught with challenges, from navigating band tiffs to learning to engage with my audience. I’m one of those people who, if they are not immediately good at something, has a tendency of throwing my hands up in frustration – a bit of unfortunate quality to have as a musician because so much of this industry and gig scene is trial and error. So, that in itself has been a challenge and something I’ve needed to reconcile within myself. A big challenge for me in the early days of gigging was stage fright and the intense nervousness. Hands shaking, voice wavering. The whole enchilada. But that quickly became a lot easier the more gigs that came my way and I think being in a band and sharing the stage with friends also helped me to focus on having fun and not the nerves. I think one of the things to remember is to have persistence, learn patience and ask for help when you need it because being a musician and an artist requires you to wear a lot of different hats all at once. You’ve not just only a musician. You are a marketer, a social media manager, a booking agent, an accountant, a designer; all of which is uncharted territory for most of us. It’s all a learning curve but overcoming challenges doesn’t have to be seamless. Sometimes, overcoming challenges means being imperfect for a while and stumbling your way through it.”
What exciting projects or goals do you have lined up for 2025, and how do you plan to push your music to new heights?
Nick: “At present doing the amazing collaboration with Aria Cook which already has been an incredible experience and drummed up some amazing support. Aria & I do have another single coming out in the next few months so definitely watch this space. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it! For 2025 I am looking to finally get out and perform live to audiences across Brisbane and South East Queensland with my singing and piano playing. So if you’re a venue who would like me to come and perform please visit my socials and hit me up. Otherwise I’ll be reaching out to venues myself soon. I’m finally ready to do this and can’t wait! Plans for new music will be on the cards too. I have hundreds of song ideas from years gone by and current material which need updating or re-writing. It’s my aim to add these new songs to my song lists for sets and perform to the masses. 2025 for me is the year I want to break out and finally be who I’ve been wanting to be for so long, a sensational performing artist!! I can’t wait to see what happens….”
Aria: “I’ve got so many things on the cards this year already. ‘The Long Way Home’ is not the only collab Nick and I have planned for this year and we are excited to share it soon! Stay tuned, we’ve got more to come! But more on that later. At the moment, I’m cowriting with a bunch of different artists, both locally and across the seas, working on original material. All while going into my third and final year of my Bachelor in Music. It’s all happening! I definitely want to keep pushing myself and get into the creative zone this year! I’m still very green but I feel I have a lot to give and a lot to say. I’m incredibly excited for these collaborations and they will definitely push me to experiment with new sounds and ideas. I’m really focused on developing original material, and I’m excited to see where these creative partnerships take me.”
Follow Sonic Keys and Aria Cook as they continue on their journey, releasing new music and performing live. Connect with them on Instagram, Facebook and Spotify now.
