Being an artist isn’t an easy undertaking when concentrating on just one medium, but Nicole Daddona takes her work ethic and imagination to another level. The artist’s multi-faceted career has encompassed co-creating the film production company Magic Society Pictures, starting the highly popular online fashion and accessories business Magic Society, and freelance graphic design/illustration.

As she sets out on a new adventure in music under the moniker Friday, Daddona delves deep into her creative life and what it’s like working within a new art form. Creativity at this point is basically her lifestyle. 

Nicole Daddona’s colorful and often darkly humorous work has a striking visual style spanning several different mediums, and it’s eye-catching every time. From crossbody bags made of blow up dolls to a short film called Sexy Furby about falling in love with a Furby/man hybrid, she has taken concepts that on paper shouldn’t pan out and has elevated them to an entertaining and weirdly unique expression.

Even with all of these artistic avenues, it’s normally clear for Dadonna from the start which medium her concept should be utilized for. A particular hope of hers is to combine all of these ideas into a cohesive art exhibition. “A dream of mine is to showcase my art in an exhibition that brings together film, visual art, and sculpture, all intertwined with a single thread of fantasy. An immersive experience that transports the viewer to a world of pure imagination, where anything is possible and every dream can come true,” she says. 

A magical, dreamlike world is what Daddona’s work often feels like, and her daydreams are often a playground for ideas. Films provide a haven for all of the daydreams she gets lost in, and being on film sets is a way “to breathe life into those worlds.” The only problem is that even fantastical ideas still need to have a budget.  “It’s been frustrating to have a clear vision and good taste, but not quite have the experience or budget to make it a reality,” she admits.

“I love dreaming up ideas and stories for films. It’s like my imagination can run wild forever, but getting those ideas to come to life in the way I see them in my mind’s eye? That’s been a challenge, but I’m happy to say that I’m finally starting to see my films take shape the way I want them to. It’s been a journey, but it’s worth it in the end.”

Dadonna’s surreal and oftentimes bizarre short films display a soft, vintage feel on the surface, but have an underlying thematic darkness that creeps its way in and eventually envelopes the screen. Her recent short film The Mundanes features a faceless family in a seemingly dreamy existence that harbors a disturbing characteristic. The Mundanes premiered at SXSW this year and Dadonna took on a myriad of responsibilities as co-director, co-writer, co-producer, production designer, and wardrobe stylist. Considering the lofty schedule her work requires, her routine has shifted as she has been “working on becoming a morning person.” 

“I have this little PDF vision board that’s basically reads like a storybook of my ideal life, and I like to give it a peek first thing in the morning. It’s a little self-indulgent and very delusional, but seems to be working,” she explains. After the “little intention-setting ritual,” the work day could contain a multitude of duties that include sending out orders and responding to emails for her shop Magic Society, working on a film, creating music, “making weird content for the internet, or disassociating in a thrift store.” As of lately, it’s music that has felt like her “truest form of expression.”

Daddona has been casually playing around with making music since she was a kid, but started working on it more intently about 5 years ago. After realizing that she didn’t need a perfect voice and then being at home during the pandemic, she felt a “crazy burst of creativity.” A producer helped bring her ideas to fruition, and now she’s turning visceral emotions into pure art as Friday. Most of her artistic expression so far in her career has had a layer of fantasy and surrealism, but music is a way to convey the honest truths directly. 

“For too long, I tried to be someone I wasn’t just to fit in with the crowd. But with this project, I’ve been able to fully explore who I am – a bit of a lone wolf, honestly. These songs are all about the ups and downs of life – the loves, the losses, the joy and the heartache. And I gotta say, I’ve never felt this intensely about any art form before,” she says. 

The cathartic nature of her songwriting is apparent on Friday’s grungy debut single “Dear God,” which wrestles with “the sadness and emotional aftermath of a tough decision.” The quirky music video features Dadonna as a clown exploring a bounce house alone.

The whimsical second single “I Do It For You” has a retro pop melody and glam rock-tinged guitars as she sings about falling a little too in love. Dadonna’s knack for combining amusing scenarios with a dark sense of humor is ever-present in the music video as a headless Friday wanders around the beach looking for her head. In the future, she’ll continue to release varied sounds.

“I have a song I’ll be releasing that’s very 80s dark wave and another that sounds like a Y2K pop anthem. I wrote a disco song! I don’t know if my music will ever fit into one genre. It’s all just coming through me and I’m letting it be whatever it wants to be for the time being,” Daddona says.

This idea of letting her musical creativity and emotions flow in whatever capacity it comes has been so rewarding that it has developed into a powerful, introspective experience. There’s no doubt have her imagination will continue to be a journey worth exploring.

“Writing and making music has been like a mirror, forcing me to confront my inner demons and embrace my inner strength. It’s been a powerful reconnection with myself, and I am absolutely loving every minute of it.”