“Day Or Night” arrived in three parts—two for Dwight Ritscher, and one for his wife, Nicole Nelson, a former contestant on The Voice with a stunning four-octave range.
“It doesn’t usually happen like that,” says Ritscher. “The third part came while I was loading laundry in the basement—phrases and melodies that puzzle-pieced together: verse, chorus and hook.”
But a title and a full set of lyrics would have to wait. The chorus existed only in “mumble form” as the Burlington, Vt.-based roots/R&B outfit was about to head into the studio.
“Nicole said, ‘That sounds like you’re saying day or night,’” says Ritscher. “The lyrics flowed once that was revealed to us.”
Both music lifers with diverse portfolios, the two artists first crossed paths in Boston, where they connected over a shared love of the Staple Singers, Albert King and Etta James. After relocating to Vermont, the duo expanded to a fairly ferocious foursome, adding drummer Ezra Oklan and keyboardist Leon Campos. The move paid off, and it wasn’t long before Dwight + Nicole landed opening slots with some big names, including Mavis Staples and Norah Jones.
Recorded with well-heeled producer Joel Hamilton at Brooklyn’s Studio G and Norway’s Ocean Sounds, 2024’s The Jaguar, The Raven & The Snake represented a significant step up for the band’s studio output. For their latest batch of tight-grooved Americana, Dwight + Nicole wisely rejoined Hamilton at Studio G, where they finally finished “Day Or Night.” The tune carried enough weight to serve as the title track for their upcoming LP, out March 20 via WestWalk.
“The song is about being of service to someone else, even if that means just offering a bit of reassurance,” says Ritscher. “We all need some of that in these times.”
We’re proud to premiere Dwight + Nicole’s “Day Or Night.”
—Hobart Rowland
See Dwight + Nicole live.
