Who's That Red Head in The Corner? Introducing: Cade Nelson

Picture this- a backdrop that mirrors a 60’s optical illusion- black, white, and hypnotic. From the right-hand corner, a depiction of none other than Kodak Black. His animated style is produced by intricate layers of paint strokes. As warm rays of light illuminate the right side of his face, you can see the dimension of the fur coat he wears, spotted with a black pattern. He’s wearing chalk-white sunglasses, with the lens reflecting the spirals that surround him- focused and set forth to entertain in this psychedelic space. This piece was brought to life by the talented Cade Nelson, an artist whose imagination and dedication are of equal importance.

Known by his art under the alias PaleInRed, Nelson is an Iowa native second and a curious-reflective traveler first. At 24 he has curated a client list with artists managed by the Taylor Gang Entertainment, Capitol Records, and Atlantic Records- just to name a few. His most recent pieces venture from designing Wiz Khalifa’s 2022 album cover titled MULTIVERSE to Haley Kiyoko’s sleeve for her debut novel Girls Like Girls. From those artists alone it feels rather juvenile to label Nelson as an up-and-coming creative, yet even through his experiences thus far he states how this is only the beginning.

Multiverse Album Cover // PaleInRed Wiz Kahlifa & Cade in L.A. "Creatures" Song Cover // PaleInRed

Luckily, we had the chance to sit with him and learn more about who Cade is, the young man behind the productions of PaleInRed. His inventive outlook in life extends past his artwork, with a great example being how he prefers to explain his hometown.

“I like to tell people- if you drop a nuclear bomb on the tri-state area of where South Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska meet it could kill me”, and this unfortunate perfect pocket for potential detonation is that of Sioux City.

Cade expressed how art has always come naturally to him. A memory that he credits as, “An ode to what I do now” places him as a child and under the care of a babysitter. As she had fallen asleep, the T.V. played the 2004 reality show Pimp My Ride. Up until nearly 4 am, young Cade worked diligently- sat over his miniature Playtex desk, drawing $100 bills. His 8.5 x 11 sheet, originally white, turned green with design and monetary value. He sealed the deal by cutting out his project and producing his hard cash.

The only time in his life when Cade took a break from drawing was right after high school, due to an extensive project for art class that required over 2 dozen pieces. He obtained his Associate's degree in Graphic Design later on which thankfully revitalized his love for the craft. It took a few years for him to be able to depend on his art entirely, working odd jobs here and there whilst freelancing for little to nothing. This all changed in 2020 when he was given an opportunity by Virgilio Tzaj, an art director employed at Atlantic Records, to produce cover art. Although his piece was not chosen, Cade still earned over 1k for his design, and that’s when he knew he could make these projects his career.

Kodak drawing described above

Cade in Color "Spin" Cover Art submission

As often as he works with Hip-Hop, Rap, and R&B artists, his music taste is eclectic- sprouting from Heavy Metal to Rock, Indie-Pop, EDM, and a sprinkle of Classic Country every so often. However, he is especially thankful for the spaces these black artists have given him the chance to be a part of.

“When I first started doing cover art the only people I could find making music were black artists. The work you do is going to dictate your customer base and whose eye you catch. Am I cool with that? Totally, I love it- and there are levels to this. Going to studios you get to see everyone's artistic flow- I can tell when I enter those spaces where inspiration is coming from. I don't care about what types of people are making sh*t, I care about what’s being made. It’s been eye-opening, to live and to learn what actually matters. I love being part of different cultural exchanges.”

For his work, Cade would describe his current style as eclectic, stark, and psychedelic. He also notes how it can be difficult to put a label on his art. It has changed so much from where he began- and continues to do so. His creative message is this:

“If you want to do something, do it. I think you owe it to yourself to go after it, whether everyone is doing it or no one else has. It’s important to let yourself express who you are in whatever way that sounds like to you. If something is calling to you, it’s calling to you for a reason.”

Cade expresses that even now there are so many things he did not think were possible for him to have accomplished, and he thanks his consistency and those he’s met along the way for his ever-growing success.

The Future Party // PaleInRed

His current lifestyle, having recently relocated to Phoenix, Arizona, consists of going with the flow of life- as opportunities present themselves in the most interesting ways. He’s learned and continues to practice every day to let go of unfair exceptions and pressures he can apply to himself, as all pressure simply comes from perspective. To now stay conscious and stay grateful are his highest priorities.

His big dreams are on the horizon, never too far in reach, yet for now this is what he knows,

“I want to make art that people love, that people resonate with and want to buy and that people are truly fans of. I want people to see my art, not know who the f*ck I am or was, and to have it inspire their work. Art that isn’t just made for others, but art that is made for me.”

This year is going to be his biggest year yet, as he wants to be part of good music and participate in absolutely great art-making. He's continuously honing in on his skills, becoming better and faster, perfecting his techniques in new ways every day- and more importantly, all unique to him.

Coming up from him will be cover art soon to be published by artist Melanie Martinez as well as a close friend and up-and-coming South Florida rapper Luh Tyler. The 2023 focus of Cade Nelson and his signature PaleInRed is this: Storytelling & Consistency.

He also finds it crucial to remind everyone, whether you like his art or not: Stay hydrated and drink your water, you’ll thank him later.