For Miami-based photographer and musician April Nicole, her role as a multidisciplinary artist is all about capturing a feeling. Whether it’s taking a photograph of a bride on her wedding day or performing a song on stage for an audience, April Nicole taps into her creativity with a sense of imagination, curiosity, passion and independence.
In “Moviendo La Bolsa (Moving the Bag),” a custom editorial series presented by Intuit TurboTax, Remezcla speaks with emerging artists like April Nicole about their creative craft and the smart money moves they make when managing their finances and diverse incomes. TurboTax is here to help achieve everyone’s goals and dreams, no matter how unique a tax situation may be.
Born in San Bernardino, California, April Nicole was raised in the small town of Wylie, Texas, 30 miles northeast of Dallas. Although her primary source of income is through her photography, videography and event planning business, April Nicole Creative, her love for music came first. As a child, she remembers dancing and singing in front of a mirror to the music her parents would listen to – everything from Motown soul to classic rock.
“I’ve always considered music to be my pure love, although I’m not doing it for the money,” April Nicole, 34, told Remezcla during a recent interview. “It’s great when I can make money, but I don’t want my musical journey to be led by that. I want my musical journey to be about authenticity and vulnerability.”
April Nicole’s musical journey took her to Rome, Italy, in 2013 where she sang in church choirs and played classical music. When she relocated to Miami about five years ago, she started to explore creating her own original music. She performs under her name, April Nicole.
April Nicole’s interest in photography and videography came in her early 20s. She had a couple of friends who were photographers. Her group would come up with “funky concepts” and do photoshoots for fun. When she moved to Italy, April Nicole decided to pick up a camera and pursue her own career in the artform.
“I was just blown away by how beautiful Italy was, and I couldn’t stop taking pictures of everything,” she said. “Being in a new country, photography was a really cool way for me to meet other people. It went from a hobby to a job within a couple of years.”
Although taking photos and performing music are separate skills, April Nicole enjoys when her two passions intersect. She is able to contribute to fellow musicians by documenting their performances and helping them promote themselves through the work she does as a photographer and videographer.
“I love being able to use those skills to serve other musicians who I enjoy and that I want to support,” she said. “I’ve also been able to make music videos for artists who I admire. I think just by existing as an artist, you create space for others to be able to explore themselves in that way, so they can connect and share.”
With two revenue streams, one might imagine that things get a bit confusing around tax time for April Nicole, but luckily, the challenges are moderate because she understands how important it is to track her finances throughout the year. She also understands her own limitations when it comes to calculating her business expenses.
“I’m definitely not a numbers person,” she said. “I work only from the creative side of my brain. I shouldn’t say that I don’t try, but I do try to avoid it as much as I can.”
This is where TurboTax can step in and help someone like April Nicole. TurboTax gives its customers the opportunity to file their own taxes with confidence. They also have tax experts who can help users maneuver their way through their tax filing in both English and Spanish. TurboTax will guide customers step-by-step and guarantee calculations will be 100% accurate.*
“I just want to work with someone who can help me get the best results possible,” she said. “I want to make sure that I’m not overpaying or underpaying, so there’s no penalty for a silly mistake.”
For April Nicole, tax time doesn’t mean she has to be overwhelmed. She said she always remembers to stay “level-headed” and is always ready to learn from the experience each year. She likes seeing the moves she’s made– the multiple side hustles she has in order to pursue her passions – and what they have earned her year to year.
“It’s important not to get discouraged,” she said. “When it’s time for me to do my taxes, I try to get into a headspace where I tell myself, ‘I’m a business girl!’ I try to find a way to feel motivated and excited to do it. It actually feels really rewarding to see what I’ve earned.”
*See details at turbotax.com/guarantees.
