Rising Stars: Meet Nikitaa

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikitaa.

Hi Nikitaa, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am a singer, songwriter and producer, and my professional journey started more or less in Los Angeles in 2017. I was attending Musicians Institute in Hollywood, and I teamed up with fellow student Mukund Komanduri to start working on my music as an artist.

In 2018, I put out my first single Honest, which did really well for an independent release and landed on several editorial playlists. Since then, I’ve worked with writers like Ferras (Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, etc.), artists such as Bollywood’s Ash King and Nikhil D’Souza and famed Bollywood composer Daboo Malik. I’ve put out ten independent English singles, one independent Hindi single, another Hindi single with Sony Music India, and an independent Punjabi single… I’ve lent my voice to a Netflix show (Masaba Masaba), had my songs on editorial playlists across streaming platforms, premiered and reviewed by Rolling Stone India and played on national radio in India – all while being three years young in the industry. I have a long way to go and being an independent artist isn’t always easy but I’m grateful for all the accomplishments! I call my genre of music Goddess Pop – and the goal of my artistry and brand is to carve a space for people like me within the mainstream sphere. Goddess Pop is all about embracing the full spectrum of your existence in an empowering way.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It’s not always been a smooth road! I think the one thing you’ll always hear from an independent artist is their war stories – the number of people that will come flocking to you to sell a vision, an idea or a marketing or branding “shortcut” or strategy are plenty. In my experience, it was primarily men within the industry selling such ideas, and I’ve had to learn the hard way at times that many know how to talk a good game but do not really have your best interests at heart. I’ve been asked to whitewash my brand, tone it down, been told it’s exciting that I look “racially ambiguous” and so much more. I’ve watched my white counterparts who started around the same time as me flourish sooner. And I’ve heard time and again “this song won’t work” – and then forged ahead on my own and watched it do exactly the opposite: thrive.

When you’re a woman of colour in an industry dominated by everything you’re not, you have to build a steely resolve and immense strength and character. Staying rooted within myself has been very important, and being extremely careful who I work with, confide in and why I do so has been key.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a singer, songwriter, producer and artist, and I’m proud to say all of these things have been my strengths. I feel like my sound and my message is a unique one. I take pride in being multidimensional and pushing my music beyond the superficial – creating unique sonic palettes and overlaying them with lyrics that ask listeners to feel a little deeper into their own power, as well as their own shortcomings. The idea of Goddess Pop (which is what I call my genre) was to create music that could house more than one perspective or a more complex emotion. Sonically, I love including the instruments of my culture wherever I feel they would lend a unique flavour. I gravitate towards a sitar, tabla, santoor, dhol or gong just as much as I do synths, 808s, etc.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I LOVE breath work, and I am also an astrologer so naturally, I love astrology! I was raised in a household that valued such grounding spiritual practices and so I turn to them daily for support and to help me live my best life. Breathwork is an excellent way to reflect upon and release any stuck emotions as well as to tap even further into your own joy. And astrology is an excellent way to observe and move with the natural cycles and rhythms that exist within our world. I believe these are great tools to remember that we move through phases. Rest and reflection are just as important as manifestation and productivity. As far as books – I love and find myself turning to Women Who Run With The Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes often. As an artist, her way of using stories, folktales and archetypes to give women potent tools to understand their own psyche really appeals to me.

I also love to paint, dance, write and bake as a way to move creative energy, express myself, etc. and I absolutely adore immersive RPG (role-playing games) for when I want to decompress!

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: http://www.nikitaaofficial.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikitaathewild/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdFVqKXky9h8OuO_Zi_Idpw
• Other: https://www.patreon.com/nikitaathewild?fan_landing=true

Image Credits:
Bianca Adriana (shots with the mic), Adhyan (shots with the projector), Swati Mehta (outdoor shot with flowers on face and “in the clouds” shot), Sunty (shot with guitar)