By Nick Christophers
When it comes to adversity, multi-talented Nikki Silva, has approached it with strength and a desire to win. Her track record has proven she has overcome some of the worst situations that only made her stronger. As a young lady she was always drawn to the magic of storytelling and has worked on bringing that art form into her work. Acting was her first love and still is, but she has ventured into music as well, but on a more personal level. A way of sharing her experiences with others who can relate and resonate with.
In reference to music, she was heavily influenced by such artists as Prince, Sabrina Carpenter, Michael Jackson, Harry Styles and more. Outside of these staples of music, jazz has also been a draw for her as well. Nikki can listen to hip-hop music for weeks than flip to listening to The Ink Spots. So, she is very eclectic in her musical choices. As we mentioned earlier Nikki grew up tough. From living in a shelter with her mother to moving in with someone only to learn it was not a safe place for her. She would move on to make her own place int the world the hard way which molded her into what she is today.
“I am so grateful for every experience in my life. The struggles I’ve faced having to grow up so young allows me the freedom to explore my childlike nature as an adult. I was exposed to diverse cultures, I was thrown into situations where I had to act out of survival and that molded me into a warrior, which is something I am very proud of.”
While going to acting school she met up with a crew of talented individuals and formed a band called The Big Happy, a reggae-rock group. She was the lead singer and rapper. The band toured the East Coast and had the pleasure of sharing the stage with acts like Beres Hammond, Slightly Stoopid, and Sublime with Rome. Nikki has had the pleasure of working on TV in such shows like “Law & Order” and “Twisted Fiction”. Not to mention she was nominated for Best Actress for her role of Susan in the film “Our Lady of Queens” at the 2024 Chelsea Film Festival. Before that her portrayal of Eve in the short film “Eve” drew much attention to her talent the 2021 Chelsea Film Festival. Currently, Nikki is released her debut album “ty,places” with producer Teddy Kumpel which she also collaborated with. It is a project that delves into the mind of Silva and how she expresses her life experiences with conviction. The release follows the music video “Manic Episode” which earned 100,000 views on YouTube.
“It was just me taking my year and my experiences and expressing it through music. I always had this motto that held me back from making my own music. I thought, there are so many people trying to be solo artists, does the world really need me? I thought my calling was to collaborate with others, help others in their artistry, or form a community of artists but then one of my mentors, Sean Baker, gave me the opportunity to work with Teddy Kumpel. Together, Teddy and I just started writing songs for me, not for someone else or for a band. It wasn’t about anything but expressing myself. I learned through the process that maybe the world does, in fact, need me as an artist. I can bring joy, comfort, and I can bring energy in my own unique way. That’s not something I am willing to be bashful about anymore. It’s my time. Hence, THANK YOU, PLACES. Which essentially means, I am here, I am ready to go. Let’s start with the damn thing.”
In the beginning of her musical journey, she used to write for other artists like Alyson Miller, Sapir Mizrachi, and her ultimate protégé Xristina Capous. Nikki worked a lot with Xristina on videos, branding and collaborating to help showcase her talent. Adside from
these key artists Nikki also worked alongside her best friend Katt Rardi who is also a talented writer who co-wrote tracks on Nikki’s new album. Outside of acting and singing Nikki also founded her own company called Nikki Silva Productions. After Covid Nikki noticed a need for production for music videos, content and songwriting. People began reaching out to her for guidance. Hence, her company was born. She garnered many students that she was already mentoring, and it opened the door for NSP. It became by default her full-time job. Being that she came from a tough upbringing Nikki also wanted to give back to the community and founded the organization Exceptional Pageant. It is an organization that promotes the disadvantaged and helps them prosper.
“We are in the midst of planning our annual beauty pageant, which will be announced very soon. I need to make sure I give my attention to this because it feels extremely important to me. I feel a calling to upkeep and grow this opportunity. It not only gives differently abled individuals a space to be their own artists, but it provides awareness of how they experience the world. I feel like it’s easy to get caught up in our own little worlds and it’s important to break that bubble – that, to me, is what impact is.”
Presently, she is gearing up for new auditions for TV shows for the upcoming year. Only recently she completed a play in Manhattan called “Down The Road” where she played a journalist interviewing a serial killer. Nikki is also working on creating her own TV series where she would be the host and having a stage reading in the Fall. For the summer of 2025 she will be performing at the Great South Bay musical festival with her band and opening up for Damien and Stephen Marley.
