Five Questions with ... Nikki Z
Published:Friday | February 10, 2023 | 1:04 AMStephanie Lyew/Gleaner Writer
(With Reggae Month celebrations in motion, Five Questions put the spotlight on female disc jocks who are paying their dues, and contributing to the breaking-down of barriers in reggae and dancehall.)
Plain-spoken DJ Nikki Z, host of her own ‘Nikki Z Live’, has been jet-setting around the globe to put the hearts and minds of dancehall and reggae music lovers into a spin. Her first journey into the field was actually on the hip-hop trail at Jamz910, in Connecticut, where she was born and raised in a primarily Jamaican family-structured home.
She spent several years on US radio and television and later her passion for music evolved into curiosity, leading her to book a ticket to Jamaica, where she applied all she learnt to push her brand on the local radio stations.
A former US Military soldier, Nikki Z, given name Nicole Duhaney, has always been a woman with a conviction of her purpose. The self-proclaimed reggae nomad has a vision to keep her show on the road to the most exotic places, and to the highest peaks like Machu Picchu in Peru, and to bring the musical medicine that is the genre of reggae directly to those in need of it.
Currently in California, gearing up for Cali Vibes Festival (February 17-19) where she will host The Boom Yard Stage, Nikki Z is already leaving an imprint with her Reggae Nomadz brand and merchandise. She was eager to give a minute or more of her time to participate in this week’s Five Questions with… .
1. Was there a female disc jockey who influenced your decision to seriously pursue a career as a disc jockey?
It was Sunshine who made me want to be a pioneer into the field as a female disc jockey, to go out and play anywhere. I must have seen her at Fully Loaded, one of those events, and she was on that stage, amongst all the men and just thought, ‘Oh … she’s awesome’. She was not trying to be a man, she was just being DJ Sunshine and I loved it and I was like I want to try to do that. I used to fiddle around the turntables but was not like thinking about it.
2. How did your training in the army contribute to who you are and how you manage your career?
What I learnt the most from the army is to stay focused and complete the mission. That has always been a driving force in my life and my career. It is a good thing I’ve remained determined but there are times where I see it is also a bad thing, because when you stay focused on one thing, there is a possibility you can miss all the other things that are happening on the outside. So, while applying all I’ve learnt, I’m trying to create a balance because yes, you can do the mission … but you can stop and smell the roses along the journey.
3. What do you think we, as Jamaicans, can do, to improve on and preserve our reggae culture?
Stop pushing [expletive] foolishness! To sort of decode what’s happening, for example, with social media, which I believe most places around the world were not ready for, there is so much sharing of nothing. And that space became a priority medium for persons to stay connected. However, when someone stops me on my journey and asks me about that female artiste who clashed Queenie at Sting, in a way that made it appear that she thought that was a major talent coming out of Jamaica, instead of querying about the likes of Lila Ike, Koffee, Shenseea, and someone like a Shaneil Muir it makes me concerned what persons are being exposed to more. I’d like if persons would judge our culture by the quality of the records and not off what’s popular on TikTok. We, as a people, need to fix how we are showcasing ourselves to the world.
4. You’ve travelled to Tanzania, Italy and Peru. Name three countries you’d like to visit soon and play for their clubs/festivals, and why?
I’m looking into Australia because it has always been on my bucket list and I’m interested in the indigenous culture there. Second is Ghana, I want to see it before it gets befuddled by industrialism and finally, Ethiopia. I was told that my mom has a sister, whom I never met, but apparently who I share similarities with ... and she has a son out there. I want to meet him and know more about her.
5. How would you describe your overall style (fashion)?
I ain’t got none. My best-dressed days were when celebrity stylist and a fashion icon by the name of Dexter Pottinger was alive. After Dexter, I think I went into I don’t care mode as it relates to my style – it’s just about being comfortable.