Biography

With influences ranging from the orchestral grandeur of John Williams to the experimental edge of Trent Reznor, and experience in punk-rock marching bands like Chicago's "Mucca Pazza" and LA's "Killsonic," Greg Nicolett has built a career blending unconventional music with compelling storytelling.

Nicolett began his career scoring live-action indie features, but an unexpected collaboration with Shia LaBeouf led him to compose for Disney's Goldie & Bear, launching him into animation. He has since scored T.O.T.S., Puppy Dog Pals, and Pupstruction. His work at Disney caught the attention of Voracious Games, who were looking for a Pixar aesthetic for their debut title, Potionomics. Greg recorded over 80 orchestral musicians, ultimately earning nominations from the Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Game Audio Network Guild, and World Soundtrack Awards. Current animated projects include Talon, produced by Cartoon Network veterans Brian C. Miller and Jennifer Pelphrey, and a forthcoming Dr. Seuss special for Netflix.

Despite his success in animation, Nicolett's live-action work remains a cornerstone of his career. His score for the neo-noir crime thriller Chicago Overcoat blends rich orchestration with suspenseful tones, establishing his skill in feature-length scoring. More recently, his WWII drama Enemy No More earned five Best Score awards during its festival run. In Adams, Nicolett's experimental approach combined found percussion and free jazz to reflect Patton Oswalt's character's unraveling psyche. For Neighbors, he used violin plucks, guitar, and synthesizers to mirror Kelli Garner's emotional turmoil. In Re/Collection, he slowed actors' dialogue by 500% to create part of the film's musical palette.

Nicolett's work extends to concert music with Forbidden to Face the Natural Light, which uses symphonic brass, percussion, and clips from This American Life to highlight the plight of Guantanamo detainees. The piece exemplifies his ability to use music to provoke thought and emotion.

Originally from New England, Nicolett apprenticed with Emmy-winning composer Brian Keane (The Chieftains) and worked with indie bands like The Magnetic Fields while at Motherwest Studios in New York. A student of Disney legend Buddy Baker (The Fox and the Hound), Nicolett earned a Bachelor of Music in Composition and Music Production from the University of Michigan. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Jessica, son Julian, and dog Cherry.
- IMDb mini biography by: Andrew Seth Cohen