THE Level 7 SERIES
Jack Leech — better known to fans as Nurko — has built a career on turning raw emotion into cinematic, melodic bass anthems. The New York-based producer, classically trained in drums and piano, first captured attention in 2015 through YouTube tastemakers like Chill Nation and MrSuicideSheep. His breakthrough came in 2018 with a soaring remix of Halsey’s “Without Me,” which has since surpassed 50 million views.
From there, Nurko’s upward trajectory accelerated. His 2021 collaboration with ILLENIUM and Valerie Broussard, “Sideways,” cracked Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Top 10 and cemented his place among the genre’s most emotive storytellers. Following his 2022 debut EP Arrival, he launched his first headlining tour and lit up festival stages from Beyond Wonderland to Countdown NYE.
Now signed to Astralwerks — home to artists like Alesso and Alison Wonderland — Nurko has collaborated with Dayce Williams, James Gillespie, NERIAH, and Cruel Youth. His sophomore EP Discovery has racked up over 30 million streams globally, and his third EP, UNITED, is on the horizon.
While details of his latest work remain under wraps, Nurko promises it’s his “biggest project to date.” Inspiration comes from everywhere — even the DMV line — and his process often begins with a walk to spark ideas. But behind the music is a deeper philosophy shaped by years in an unpredictable industry: learning to accept what can’t be controlled and finding peace in that acceptance.
When he’s not in the studio, Nurko’s humor and humanity shine through — from wanting to swap lives with SpongeBob for a week to dreaming of traveling with his idol Ozzy Osbourne. In his own words, failure isn’t the end, but a step in the journey.
Q: Tell us about your latest project.
I’m currently working on my biggest projects to date. I can’t share a whole lot yet but it’s a ton of new music. I’m so excited to share it!
Q: What’s your creative process like when producing a new track?
I’ll usually go on a nice walk to get inspired. I’ll listen to some of my favorite music. When I get back from the walk, I’ll start by building out what’s in my head. It’s usually a melody. Then I build it from there. Sometimes if the song already has a vocalist on, I’ll build the track around the vocal. It depends on the song, really.
Q: What’s the weirdest or most unexpected place you’ve drawn inspiration from?
I’d say waiting in line at the DMV. I came up with a melody while waiting in line for my license. I had to pull out my phone to record it so I wouldn’t forget.
Q: If you had to swap lives with a cartoon character for a week, who would it be?
SpongeBob. He is always so cheerful and lives life to the fullest. He always cares about those around him and he’s also hilarious.
Q: If you could travel with a celebrity, who would it be?
Ozzy Osbourne. He’s my idol and his music inspired me so much. Now that he’s passed, this question means even more to me.
Q: What’s the most significant lesson life has taught you so far?
There are things you simply can’t control. Once you accept that, you’ll live a lot more peacefully.
Q: How do you handle failure?
Just try and understand that it’s a part of the process and everyone has experienced it one way or another. Just have to keep pressing forward one step at a time.
