We’re thrilled to welcome to beautiful and talented Nikitaa to our On The Rise class of 2020! Check out our interview below!
For readers who aren’t familiar with you and your music, can you share with us how you began your musical career?
I began my music career in LA – which is where I was based out of up until late last year! I met my current co-producer Mukund Komanduri while I was in Musicians Institute in LA, and I put out my first single Honest March 2018. Deep down I always wanted to pursue music and that was my first official foray into the industry and I haven’t looked back since!
We’re obsessed with your new single “Goddess”! Tell us more about what inspired that track?!
Thank you so much! I’ve been drawing inspiration from the images of the Goddess in general throughout my music, and even throughout my life! I wanted this song to stand for what a Goddess is really about and who she is. To honor and know a Goddess is to honor and accept femininity in all of its forms. I wanted the track to be both empowering to those who are on that journey and encouraging to those who are in the process of getting there.
What does your typical songwriting session look like?
Well, for most of my career I’ve been working with Mukund. It really depends on the song. Some songs just start out with me and the piano and I take them into a session and Mukund and I put a track together, and other times Mukund starts a track based on a mood or theme I bring, or just based on whatever he’s feeling creative and go from there! Regardless of either, I enjoy incorporating my own vocals as samples in some way or other, and of course, we use South Asian and Middle Eastern percussion and string instruments in there!
As an artist do you enjoy taking part in the creative elements of your releases such as cover art, photoshoots, graphics etc?
I am always absolutely involved during every stage of the process – from writing to production, mixing, mastering, photoshoots, everything! I love every part of it!
How does the music culture in India compare and differ from here in the states?
The culture is very very similar in many ways, and then different in a few others. So much of the time in the States people will collaborate without really even meeting each other in person ever – and of course, that’s reinforced with the current state of the world. But here I’ve definitely noticed people prefer building relationships in person before proceeding to work with each other in most cases!
Growing up, who were your biggest musical influences?
I grew up on pretty much everything – from 60’s and 70’s Bollywood to rock, hip hop, rap, pop, and some measure of RnB music! I grew up loving Kishore Kumar, RD Burman, AR Rahman, Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera, Beyonce, Frank Ocean and so many more. The past few years I’ve definitely been inspired by Jon Bellion, ChloexHalle, and Frank Ocean.
What would your advice be to young girls wanting to get into music?
Be STRONG! Stand up for what you want, and trust your instincts and be firm in your boundaries. Women of color specifically have a lot to put up with in many ways. Sticking to your gut is key!
How has quarantine been for you? have you been feeling more or less creative?
It ebbs and flows! I’ve had to take it one day at a time but I’ve definitely been honing my skills. I’ve been producing a lot more, engineering all my own sessions, even getting my hands into mixing my own music. And of course, directing and editing my own music videos and other visuals! In some ways, this lockdown has been great for me!
Lastly, what’s next for you?! Can you share any upcoming projects with us?
I’m excited for some releases that I have to currently keep under wraps, but rest assured I will definitely be releasing more singles – and not just in English! I had my first Punjabi release last year, and I’m excited to put out more multilingual music for the rest of this year!
Connect With Nikitaa: Instagram, Twitter & Spotify
