I have a confession . . . I play with dolls (or I used to, rather).  When I was a little boy, I fell in love with Barbie and anything pretty with long hair.  My parents would let me have Wonder Woman, Batgirl, and Bionic woman dolls, but Barbie was for sissies and, therefore, not allowed.  Fortunately, my mother gave me a younger sister who shared my obsession with dolls, and I got to play with all of her dolls (including Barbie, snap!) under the guise of sibling bonding.  My childhood passion would turn into a lifelong love affair with the soulless, vapid totems of beauty.  I try to limit my collection to Wonder Woman and anything “special” or rare. (If anyone has an extra limited edition Robert Tonner Zombie Boy doll laying around . . . )

I like documentaries as much as I like dolls, so imagine my delight when I came across Living Dolls, a documentary by Maureen Judge that aired on the LOGO network.  The documentary is an entertaining and amazing look into the world of doll obsessionists: people who collect dolls; people who think they are dolls; and people who . . . um, have relationships with dolls.  Oddly, what that caught my eye was a brief appearance by an eclectic doll maker whom appeared briefly at The Los Angeles Barbie Convention in the documentary, Nickis Fabbrocile. Some of Nickis’ fantasy dolls were featured, and I instantly fell in love with their esthetic which can best be described as if you threw Barbie and Monster High in a blender and Lady Gaga threw up on it. (And, I mean that as the highest compliment possible.)

There was very little information available on this doll designer from Milan, Italy, so I had to put on my Murder She Wrote detective cap and do a little investigating.  Luckily, through the power of social media stalking, I was able to track Nickis down.  As it turns out, my uncanny eye for talent was dead on again. Not only is Nickis an amazing doll designer, he is also embarking on a pop music career to meld his passion for porcelain with a love of pop music.

I was lucky enough to talk with Nickis (in the below interview) as he readies for global domination with a fusion of addictive pop music and a deft hand for doll design.  His first singe “Free Fantasy Dolls,”is in heavy rotation on my gym workout playlist.

Michael Fitzgerald Troy: Why do you connect with dolls?

Nickis Fabrocille: I love dolls . . . it is an old love. I remember that when I was a child, I used to look forward anxiously every gift about dolls, and my first and foremost love was for the Barbie Doll with which I grew up. Already, at that time, I attempted in the world of doll design.

MFT: Why do people love dolls?

NF: Generally speaking, I think people love beauty. Dolls represent a different kind of “beauty,” and, because of this, people have a chance to look into themselves, to mirror the several shades of beauty created by those artists who make amazing dolls full of beauty.

MFT: How did your doll inspiration start?

NF: My dolls arise from my personal understanding of art . . . a frame can inspire . . . a sculpture . . . a picture . . . a movie . . . a book. In particular, I am fond of the Eighties: the cartoons by Jem and the Holograms up to those of My Little Pony for the mix of colors of the style of that era, and the world of gothic and fantasy, too. And, I used to blend all my experiences in order to create my style and my idea of dolls.

MFT: Where is the future of dolls?

NF: In my opinion, the future of dolls lies in the creativity of the artists who turn this craft into art. The clue to figure out the future is the personality and the determination to experiment new ideas without being afraid of the risks.

MFT: Tell us about your music.

NF: My music reflects my life. I’m a songwriter, and I explain all of my Ideas and messages in my songs . . . all of my passion, my love, my fears, and all the facts that revolve around my life. The sound that I prefer for my music is rock, pop, electro, and experimental. In fact, in 2014 I will start my new projects, the release of my debut album. Prior to that, my first single “Free Fantasy Dolls.”

MFT: How do music and dolls tie together?

NF: For me it is very natural, because they are my two great passions that grew up with me; the idea of writing a song combining these two subjects came to me while I was driving to go in the recording studio, and I was looking for something that represented me completely. After I had this “idea,” I was lucky to attend the national Barbie Convention in Los Angeles to introduce my own first line of oak Barbie Dolls, and, in the meantime, I tested the “promo teaser” of my first music video, “Free Fantasy Dolls,” with people. I was really surprised to notice a wide appreciation for its “concept!”

Later, me and my production team decided to work hard along these lines for my first album that soon will be released.

I am a perfectionist. I’m never satisfied with my works, so I work meticulously trying to achieve good results, to convey what I am. In the meantime, in 2014, at the same time as my first music single, I will present my own line of dolls that will have the same name of the single, “Free Fantasy Dolls.” They are entirely designed by myself: a new fashion doll in resin (15″).

Thanks for the interview, Nickis! So refreshing to find another blonde guy with a crush on Barbie.  

Make sure to check out the fabulous documentary Living Dolls by Maureen Judge and be on the look out for Nickis Fabbrocile’s fabulous, musical, magical “Free Fantasy Dolls.” Check out some of Nickis’ doll designs here.