you spread your heart so far and wide

that you can never truly die

He was a hearter. If you know nothing else about Nico, know that. He was a hearter. He spent almost two years on hitrecord giving us hearts for the artwork we created. His personal record count numbered only six, but he hearted 2,309 records. That amounts to more than 3 records per day for almost two years.

Nico said goodbye to the sun on May 23^rd.  He left behind a family, friends, a woman who loved him. And he also left behind a community here on hitrecord - a community who loved him and was lucky enough to receive his 2,309 hearts, 2,309 bits of encouragement, positivity and love. 2,309 bits of Nico.

It has been said that art is a way to circumvent mortality, a way to leave a piece of yourself behind in this world after you’ve walked gently into that good night. Nico would be the first to tell you that he was not an artist. But with respect to Nico, I disagree. I like to think that every time you heart a record here on hitrecord, you’re giving the community a little piece of your own heart, a piece that resonates softly, but never silently.

We have 2,309 pieces of Nico’s heart here on hitrecord. And those pieces will never be silent.

Stop and listen.

I bet you can hear them ringing. Wherever you are, be it Hawaii, Florida, Great Britain, Russia, India – I bet you can hear those 2,309 hearts ringing like wind chimes caught in a gentle breeze on a quiet summer night. And however loud it might get, however dissonant the chaos might clang, if you stop and listen, they will always be there.

Because, you see, hearting was Nico’s art.

He was a hearter.