Nicole Thompson
Nicole Thompson
By Hailey Xi
Nicole, originally from Singapore, joined Collingwood in Grade 5, a year after moving to Canada. With a mixed heritage—Singaporean mother and British/Italian father—and a background that spans six countries, including Denmark and Malaysia, her story is one of cultural diversity.
A musical enthusiast, Nicole plays the drums, guitar, trumpet, and sings. Among her many interests, she’s been practicing taekwondo for seven years, achieving a second-degree black belt and instructing in their dojang’s demo team. In her free time, she enjoys reading manga, writing her own music, and diving into video essays.
By Hailey Xi
Nicole, originally from Singapore, joined Collingwood in Grade 5, a year after moving to Canada. With a mixed heritage—Singaporean mother and British/Italian father—and a background that spans six countries, including Denmark and Malaysia, her story is one of cultural diversity.
A musical enthusiast, Nicole plays the drums, guitar, trumpet, and sings. Among her many interests, she’s been practicing taekwondo for seven years, achieving a second-degree black belt and instructing in their dojang’s demo team. In her free time, she enjoys reading manga, writing her own music, and diving into video essays.
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In academics, Nicole currently enjoys AP Computer Science A and AP Human Geography, two challenging college-level courses. The former provides satisfying problem-solving through coding, and the latter allows exploration of global topics related to her international experiences.
Her mentors at school, from Ms. Prichard at Wentworth to Mr. Smith and Mr. Hidalgo later at Morven, have played a significant role in Nicole’s musical growth. She cites them as inspiration for her initiative in Top40 Band, Senior Jazz Band, and Drum Corps, as well as her role as Drum Line Captain. |
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For Nicole, music is a means of self-expression and a way to connect with others. She explains that “music is meant to be played for and with people”. When asked for advice to budding musicians she draws on this love of creating art in a group; it is important to collaborate, learn from others, enjoy the process, and avoid comparing your growth to others. Nicole has evolved from having no formal training to mastering instruments, songwriting, and music production, instilling qualities of teamwork and the understanding that every role in a group is crucial.
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Looking ahead, Nicole plans to continue playing music in university, aspiring to gig solo or with a band. In an intersection of her interdisciplinary interests of human-computer interaction and music, her dream job would be a product manager at Spotify. Her background in music is sure to provide invaluable insight and skills in future pursuits.
Nicole’s story at Collingwood is one of musical exploration, diverse influences, and personal growth. She has been a key figure that many aspiring musicians in the community look up to and an inspiration in the arts. As she looks towards the future, their passion for music remains a driving force, promising more harmonious experiences.
Her music TikTok can be found here: @xing3r
Her SoundCloud can be found here: https://soundcloud.com/user-802083267
Nicole’s story at Collingwood is one of musical exploration, diverse influences, and personal growth. She has been a key figure that many aspiring musicians in the community look up to and an inspiration in the arts. As she looks towards the future, their passion for music remains a driving force, promising more harmonious experiences.
Her music TikTok can be found here: @xing3r
Her SoundCloud can be found here: https://soundcloud.com/user-802083267