Birkerød, Vanløse and four years of development
Niclas and Jannik found their way into Jon Ørom and Jules Wolfson's tiny studio through the skateboarding scene around Jægersborg. The first songs were rough, but the four quickly became close and shared a fascination with the American music scene, where R&B, hip-hop and pop were beginning to blend.
Jon and Jules built the tracks and developed the sound. Niclas and Jannik wrote lyrics, rap verses and choruses over the music. In Vanløse, they worked on Nik & Jay after hours, with paying production work keeping the studio alive.
EMI and the decision to call it Nik & Jay
A contact brought the music to EMI, which wanted to sign the four of them. They were so excited that negotiations were brief, and the contract was signed in the lobby using the EMI lawyer's back as a writing surface because there was no table.
For a while, they considered presenting themselves as a four-piece band. Jon and Jules didn't want the spotlight in the same way as Niclas and Jannik, so Jules suggested using just Nik & Jay as the public name. The audience would see the two frontmen, even though four people had built the project.
A quick breakthrough, slower acceptance
The debut album and Hot! turned Nik & Jay into stars almost overnight. At the 2003 Danish Music Awards, the duo won both Danish Newcomer of the Year and Danish Hit of the Year.
The project also faced intense scepticism. Parts of the music press and cultural establishment viewed Nik & Jay as inauthentic and overly commercial. The team found that almost ironic: the project had developed organically over several years, without creative direction from an established record label.
Islands Brygge and the fully developed Nexus sound
As the money started coming in, the team moved from Vanløse to a studio complex on Njalsgade in Islands Brygge in 2003. They began in the smallest room, later moved into the largest and rented a second studio for Niclas and Jannik.
On 2 and later 3: Fresh-Fri-Fly, their division of responsibilities became increasingly intuitive. Jules handled much of the hands-on music production, programming and vocal production. Jon was a close creative partner and motivator. Niclas and Jannik had become much sharper songwriters and performers.
For Jules, 3: Fresh-Fri-Fly is the album where the original Nexus sound comes through most clearly.
A growing creative community
Nexus grew beyond the original four. Jon and Jules began bringing in younger producers, developing their skills and assembling teams for larger projects. Nexus was credited as executive producer on several releases, although the individual personal credits still varied from recording to recording.
At the same time, they bought the former Vestre Borgerdyd School on Helgolandsgade and worked with Bjarke Ingels and his team to build homes and a large studio. Just a few years earlier, Jon and Jules had lived without a shower in Vanløse. Now they had built an entire world around the music.
United and a new chapter
With United, the original four-person team found a strong working balance again. Jon and Jules were deeply involved in writing and producing the album.
The collaboration continued after the album's release, with new singles, promotion and tours through 2015. But after years of close creative work, their lives and careers began moving in different directions. They had been connected since 1998, and eventually it was natural that they would no longer make new music together.
Although the creative collaboration ended, the business relationship continued. Jules still owns interests in the music and productions he helped create and remains actively involved in the business around Nik & Jay's existing catalogue.