Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: Being raised by a single mum, who is a musician, definitely had an influence on my choice to pursue music full-time. She taught me early on that persistence is key to longevity when it comes to a career in music. I discovered Songwriting as an outlet to pour my emotions into when they felt too overwhelming. It helped me make sense of what was going on around me. Because I had vocal and music lessons from an early age, it just ended up naturally progressing into something I was so passionate about that I chose it over anything else. When I moved to London, I started getting into Music Production, so I could bring the artistic vision inside me to life, without having to rely on anyone else. My musical direction is most likely a combination between Disney musicals, commercial pop, my constant search for meaning in everything and my love for epic movie soundtracks.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover “Kimi Nickerson”?
A: I create a lot of content, especially on TikTok, in which I like to show the human side of me, for my audience to get an authentic insight into who I am. This goes hand in hand with how I appear on stage at live gigs. I want my artistry to align with my personality because I don’t want to put on an act and pretend to be someone I am not. So the community I am building is looking for compassion and acceptance in being who they are, just like I am.
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: I have various different artists I love so who I am inspired by is constantly evolving and changing. I am often also in awe of the small artists around me, who work tirelessly in an industry that sometimes offers little exposure for anyone working independently. A few artists I really love and always find my way back to are NF, Jon Bellion, Tori Kelly, Billie Eilish and Miley Cyrus. I find inspiration in everyday experiences that I have made myself or have been shared with me in the media or by people around me. Feeling too much is the incubator for me to create.
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the song, “Enemies.”?
A: I always write my songs in a way that allows each individual to interpret them based on what they’re going through and what they might need to hear. For me, ‘Enemies’ is inherently about courage, the courage to become aware of how much we conform, and how often we offer silence in exchange for acceptance.”
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: ‘Movie-esque’ or ‘cinematic’
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording “Enemies”?
A: There are always challenges in the creative process, but I am a big believer in timing. I initially wrote this song as a throw-away track for a sync library beat I received back in July of 2022. I didn’t think it was going to evolve into what it is today, but it only did because I wasn’t pressuring myself to finish it prematurely. And with how life is, I needed to experience a few more things in order to know what ‘Enemies’ needed to turn into.
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: There are different messages within my music since there are always nuances and different themes I discuss. However, I do like to think empowering people to be honest, vulnerable and authentic is what my music conveys. If that is based on self-reflection about past trauma, or finding the courage to be angry at injustice and speaking up about it. My goal is to reach people who can relate to the experiences and emotions I am unpacking in my songs and to hopefully keep adding a bit of light in a world that has so much darkness in it.
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: It’s too difficult for me to isolate it to just one. My favourite picks would be Christina Grimmie, NF, Jon Bellion and Billie Eilish
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: Don’t trust the lowest or the highest moments. Persistence is key to surviving this industry. Extensive amounts of self-belief, that can be a bit delusional at times, and learning that it’s about the process, not the finish line.
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: Even through all the mistakes, rejections, mishaps and challenges, you were always good enough.
