Indie Music Women’s Featured Artist of the Day is…
Nikki Hays (@ItsNikkiHayes)
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Nikki’s journey into music began at Studio One Dance Chicago when she was just six years old and continued while attending elementary school at St. Sabina Academy where she danced as well as sang in the school’s gospel choir. Even then she wanted more and while she didn’t know it, her inner will was beginning to surface. “My older sisters were members of Walt Whitman and The Soul Children of Chicago, and those kids can really sing so of course, I wanted to join,” Nikki recalled. “One problem though – I couldn’t sing! In fact, my sisters would sing together, and their harmonies were so tight. I’d join in and they’d tell me ‘just listen, don’t sing!’ I was hurt, but I was determined — so every day I’d go in our basement and just sing. I admit, it sounded really bad at first. My parents would just shake their heads then ask me to please close the basement door!”
Nikki kept at it and auditioned for The Soul Children again and was turned down. Disappointed but still determined, she kept singing. Her vocals and her confidence slowly began to improve which led to a third audition, and she was finally selected. “I was turned down three times before finally becoming a Soul Child, and I’ll never forget the moment I was finally in!,” she said. “I was only 9 years old, but I learned the value of hard work and the power of focus.”
Industry producers began to take notice and in 2010 Nikki recorded her first solo project. In 2013, she landed a final five spot in the “Who’s Next? Worldwide Online Talent Search,” sponsored by six-time Grammy Award-winning producer; engineer; vocal producer and songwriter Kuk Harrell (Rihanna; Justin Bieber; Cher; Eminem; Beyoncé and others). Since then, Nikki has recorded with Grammy Award-winning artist Malik Yusef (G.O.O.D. Music); Tour keyboardist to the stars Marcus Kincy (Camila Cabello; Mary J. Blige, P. Diddy; Nick Jonas); and others.
In 2016 Nikki penned her first single titled Chance of Rain, which further introduced Nikki’s fresh, vocal sound. In 2018 she released Move, a mellow R&B vibe that conveys the physical fervor of love and the anxieties we may face we are drawn to someone. Move became a favorite among both fans, the music industry, and the media, landing the track on the CW’s All American, an Independent Music Award nomination for best R&B song, and other accolades.
Nikki returned with a vengeance in 2019 with her follow-up single titled Stingray. An incredibly dynamic vibe as mellow, melancholic verses build into driving choruses of empowerment, Nikki uses Stingray to share her own story of an emotionally abusive relationship and the painful journey of regaining control of her life. “While no one really wants pain of any sort, we learn who we are during times of struggle,” she said. “Yes, it can be agonizing when you’re in the midst of it, but it’s also necessary in order to discover and embrace your power.”
Nikki’s love for 90’s music and her propensity to share that clandestine part of her spirit, both lyrically and vocally, continue to be a part of who she is. Her musical influences are wide-ranging – from Beyoncé and Stevie Wonder to Sade and Toni Braxton, who shared Nikki’s cover of her hit, You’re Making Me High with her Twitter followers.
Nikki is known by her endearing and infectious personality and for anybody who meets her, once hearing that mellifluous voice, it’s nearly impossible to not become a Nikki Hayes fan.
More music, including her first EP The 12th House, will be released soon, where fans will get an even greater intimate portrait of her life and her dreams via “that voice.”
– Bio courtesy of Nikki Hays
Nikki shared with me what it means to her personally to be an indie music woman artist:
“As a woman, I’ve experienced quite a bit as I’ve gone through life and I’ve written songs that other women can identify with and it’d be great to share it!”⠀
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You can hear Nikki’s single, “Gotta Go To Sleep” on the Indie Music Women’s Spotify Playlist. ⠀