By Jesse Beer-Dietz

This week, Wheels spotlights a duo from L.A. who have the goods. Also, check out my interview with Egypt Central, whose White Rabbit album drops later this month. Keep feedin’ my inbox: jesse.beerdietz@hitsmagazine.com.

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
Nikki & Rich (http://nikkiandrich.com): Eclectic pop duo from Los Angeles creating quite the buzz. Since the duo started performing two years ago, they’ve appeared on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, Ellen and KCRW, and were named Artists to Watch by the New York Post. Nikki & Rich will release their full-length debut album, Everything, this summer. Their current single, the heartache-heavy, wistful “City Lights” featuring Fabolous, has impacted radio, earning spins in Boston, Hartford and Providence. Many have compared their sound to a blend of Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse. Let us know what you think.

EMAIL Q&A WITH EGYPT CENTRAL:
When did you guys form the band?
2002.

What’s the meaning behind the band name?
It's a street in our hometown of Memphis, a reminder to always remember our roots.

Your record comes out on May 31; I had the privilege of checking it out early and love it. Can you talk to us about recording this record with Skidd Mills and how excited you guys are to have this record come out this month?
We have waited so long to extend our catalog, to further define our sound and to build a greater connection with our fans. In the wake of our new record dropping, I can honestly say we have never been so excited about the future. Working with Skidd was such an awesome experience. He was kind and honest; he helped create such an amazing environment for us to make our art. Skidd is a great writer and programmer. He brought his touch and I think invested a lot of himself into the music. We all felt at the end that we were apart of something special.

How’s life on the road? How do you guys travel?
We’re traveling in a bus we bought for the sole purpose of having fans sign it. We want to know our fans and know their stories. The connection between our fans and us is what makes this life possible. We were born for the road; it's deeply engraved in all four of us.

What was your craziest experience while out on tour?
A woman with three young children in the car pulled out in front of us when we were headed towards Clarksville, TN, a few years back. We barely avoided them and slid off the highway, colliding with the bank and coming loose from our trailer. As the van teetered on two wheels, we came to a halt just a few feet from a 40-foot fall-off. So, close to death, and clearly shaken up, we funneled out of the van. In the end, we were more worried about the kids in the car, but later that night we laughed about how close to killing ourselves we had come.

The title of your single “White Rabbit” is a reference to Alice in Wonderland. Are you guys big Disney movie fans, and if so, which is your favorite?
Who doesn't like Walt and all his illustrated magic? I think Aladdin, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid—that's our generation of Disney Classics.