Nikki

2007 has been a year full of projects for the ever bubbly and multi-talented Nikki. Work on her first album ‘Twisted Straight’ was finally completed and while this is her first album to ever be commercially released, the singer had earlier worked on a solo album that was completed but never released. The twelve track album featured the collabo with Nazizi ‘Sita Lia’ that was leaked to local media. The singer’s new thirteen track album features performances by Collo of the Kleptomaniacs, Wyre, and Gift, an artist signed up to Ja Rule’s record label, Murder Inc. It was recorded in Nairobi with appearances from major Kenyan producers such as Eric Musyoka of the Homeboys, R. Kay of Shammah Boy Music, Chris Adwar and Clemo from Calif Records.



The second single from Twisted Straight, ‘Niwe Wako Milele’ was nominated for an R&B award at this year’s Kisima Awards. The song won her her second Kisima award in the Best R&B artist category. It was the night that also marked her first stage performance in over three years. Performing ‘Fool For You’ and ‘Niwe Wako Milele’ Nikki demonstrated her growth as an artist and entertainer over the years. She is currently gearing up for promotional tours all over Kenya and East Africa.



Nikki first appeared in the Kenyan music scene in 1997 with the song ‘Mapenzi Tele’. The song was featured on the album Kenyan the First Chapter, which was produced and recorded at Sync Sounds. In 1999, she featured once again on yet another Kenyan compilation CD. ‘Kenyan the Second Chapter’, which was recorded and produced at Audio Vault Studios, contained two songs by Nikki, and one that saw her write and provide background vocals. ‘Niende Wapi’ was a solo effort while ‘No limit To Love’ saw her team up with David Ohingo. Intu's song ‘Tamani’ was co-written by Nikki, and had her singing back up for Atemi and Natasha. Nikki also worked on the theme song for World Space as they launched their services in East Africa. She co-wrote and sang alongside Ugandan singer Kawesa.



1999 also saw Nikki work on the ‘Earth Song’. It was a UNEP Regional Office for Africa sponsored awareness campaign on cleaning up rivers within the city of Nairobi, with a special emphasis on the Nairobi River. The project entailed the creation of a song, a video and East Africa's first ever enhanced CD.



After a five year break which was spent in the radio industry in Kenya as a presenter, music administrator, deputy and acting programs controller, Nikki released her first single ‘Tazama Mbele’ in 2004.The song produced by the Ennovator and featuring Prezzo, went on to top local charts. The video for the song bagged Nikki her first number one video in the East African TV Chart, and proceeded to be one of the longest topping songs in the chart with a record of 8 weeks.



2006 was the year that Nikki won her first Kisima award. And that was not all, more international award nominations in the Channel O Music awards followed later in the year. Her track ‘Hii Ngoma’ featuring Collo, bagged her the Best R&B Act of the year, right after a record four nominations at the Teen Awards earlier in the year.



The track was produced by Eric Musyoka and released in late December 2005. It has since topped local charts, and the video that followed raced to the top of not only local music charts, but on international networks such as MTVBase and Channel O. The song not only earned her two Channel O nominations, but also the distinction of being the first solo Kenyan female artist to be nominated, as well as the first solo Kenyan female artist to air on MTVBase.



Nikki has been interviewed by a host of local stations as well as featuring on several BBC interviews on her music and the future of not just her music, but African music, in the face of continued sampling and fusion with western music.



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