Tatiana is back with her latest edition of Culture Shock and she hooked up with yet another artist to watch out for in the future from America. She goes by the name of Kimberly Nichole...
“Your timing couldn’t have been more perfect,” sings artist Kimberly Nichole and she couldn’t have been more correct. The energy from such a petite young lady, matched with an amazing voice along with style and poise, she has all of the qualities of a star. Having the honor of seeing her perform live during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, the Seattle, Washington native, Atlanta groomed and New York evolved woman called the shots on stage. Kimberly Nichole is definitely someone to watch and will not be stopped.
TWU: Where does all of the energy come from and how does it relate to your music?
Kimberly Nichole: I'm not quite sure where the energy comes from. I guess it comes from the way I feel when I perform. I believe music in general is moving, figuratively and literally. My energy is not contrived or thought about, it's just what comes natural.
TWU: How was the music scene in Seattle and what made you want to move to New York?
KN: The music scene in Seattle is very much grunge/rock/alternative. It was like that growing up; it definitely exposed me to a different style of music outside of what I listened to in my home. Me and my best friends growing up always talked about moving to New York, not quite sure why, maybe just being in "the big city" and a part of something bigger than what we were used to.
TWU: What made you want to turn your dream into the reality of singing?
KN: I've always wanted to be in the arts - as I child I wrote stories, played the clarinet, painted, danced and of course sang. So, the arts have always been a part of me, I knew as a child it was definitely something I wanted to pursue. It was probably around 2006 that I decided it was time.
TWU: How did The Yellow Brick Journey come about?
KN: The Yellow Brick Journey is a project created by my creative partner Q Kegler and myself. We initially started working on a few songs together in hopes of releasing an EP, but then the EP became bigger than what we planned for it to be. We were in a creative mode and when I moved to NY it was like my creativity evolved even more. The name of the project came about when I was brainstorming titles to my best friend and we agreed upon The Yellow Brick Journey. It was definitely inspired by my favorite movie The Wiz. It really speaks to what the project is as a whole it represents my journey at a particular time. And the themes are similar to the themes scene in The Wiz.
TWU: What were you previously doing before singing?
KN: Studying, learning business and such.
TWU: How was it making the transition from Seattle to New York?
KN: It took me a good 6 months to get use to NY. The fast paced environment, the hustle and the bustle took some adjusting too. But once I adjusted, I was in the swing of things like a New Yorker. I love the city.
TWU: What brought about The Yellow Brick Journey Reloaded?
KN: Myself and Q mutually agreed that The Yellow Brick Journey was truly a great project and something we were both proud of. We felt that not enough people had been exposed to it, there's definitely a lot more people that need to hear this music. My movement is growing so we thought a re-release with new songs would definitely continue to expose me to new audiences.
TWU: What do you want audiences to gain from The Yellow Brick Journey Reloaded?
KN: My hope is that people in some way are inspired by YBJ reloaded and moved.
TWU: Who are some of your influences, musically and fashionably?
KN: Musically: Gnarls Barkley, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Josephine Baker, Tina Turner, Alice Smith and sooo many more.
Fashion: I really love Dita Von Teese's style, Rihanna, Erykah Badu, Shingai Shoniwa of the Noisettes. I'm a lover of vintage/classic style with a rock flair [laughs].
TWU: Where do you see yourself in the next few years?
KN: Touring the world, sharing my music with all types of people, making history in the arts, a successful artist and tapping into different areas of the arts too.
TWU: Who are some people you have worked with?
KN: To date I've only worked with Lyfe Jennings.
TWU: Who are some people you would like to work with?
KN: Cee-Lo, Slash, Bilal, Green Day.
TWU: Is there anything else you want fans to know?
KN: That I appreciate their love and support!
Stay up to date with Kimberly Nichole on MySpace - www.myspace.com/kimberlynicholemusic
Words: Tatiana R. Johnson
Online editing: Joseph 'JP' Patterson
