We were lucky to catch up with Niki Skistimas recently and have shared our conversation below.

Niki, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I feel like my whole journey has been one risk after another- starting from the time when I decided to pursue drums. There wasn’t a lot of representation then and it was a struggle to be taken seriously and not get discouraged by the amount of arrogant men that were just trying to get down my pants. I persevered. The next major risk was starting a band with my significant other which is usually a super no no and we both knew it, but did it anyway. It absolutely had some down sides as band members never wanted to be the odd one out and business people thought we were too high risk to take a chance on us. The positives far out weigh the negatives though. It lead to the absolute best version of the band that we started together KRASHKARMA. We are now a metal duo that has independently toured 15 countries, played major festivals worldwide and get to explore neautiful cultures together. We connect on such an intimate level and are able to reflect that in our music and basically make up our own rules as we go! I never stop pushing myself and the boundaries of art and what’s possible in this life. I want to experience it all and will take all the leaps of faith necessary to do so!

Niki, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am the drummer and singer in the Los Angeles based Metal Duo known as KRASHKARMA. I have always been into music, especially concerts. I was and still am a fan first. I never studied officially. I am a student of life and music has always been my teacher, companion and ultimate inspiration. My journey into playing drums started in the gritty streets of Asbury Park, New Jersey, ventured to the soulful heart of New Orleans and ultimately landed me in the creative sanctuary I call home, Los Angeles. I have had the honor of playing drums for various artists throughout the years spanning over multiple genres, but rock, punk and metal have always held my heart. I started KRASHKARMA with the eccentric, mad scientist Ralf Dietel whom I had collaborated with before and produced some of my own tracks with. We came together with a shared vision to capture the raw duality of life and illuminate the struggles we all endure on this journey. We unapologetically speak about current events and issues that effect us and the world around us without shying away from the hard topics. We tour internationally and have put out 5 records. We have always had a very DIY approach to how we run our business. Our fans are our friends- a global community of diverse outliers who aren’t satisfied with the status quo and practice the freedom of self expression. All are welcome in the KRASHKARMA family EXCEPT racists, bigots, fascists, homophobes, etc… We want the people who listen to our music, come to our shows and our social media pages to know that we are a safe space where they can count on us to not sit back and be silent about relevant issues and causes that align with our values. We also enjoy being creative through dark humor and other forms of comedy, so we are not always serious all the time. We strive to build a better world in the only way we know how, through music and we want to align with those who feel the same.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

One thing that non-creatives don’t seem to understand is that we make art. We might also be entertainers, but we are not anyones monkey. We are artists and we have always had something to say. We say it with our art and if that doesn’t align with some people, that’s okay, but we are still going to do it because its in our heart and it has to come out. This is our self expression, not anyone else’s. Of course we love when people vibe with us and benefit from our music. Afterall, we do make a living this way, but we have and always will do it our way. Make sense?

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Art is the the fundamental building block of culture and should be seen as a priority to create and maintain a healthy society. There needs to be music and art programs available for kids of course, but those kids should be able to grow up and make a career out of it if they have the talent and the drive to do so. Start by paying living wages for performers of any kind and offering artists insurance. These basic principles are in place in many countries and should be adopted worldwide. Otherwise, go to local events… support local artists and venues. Buy merchandise directly from the artist and spread the word. Get involved- Be part of it!!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.krashkarma.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krashkarma
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/krashkarma
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/krashkarma

Image Credits

-Grindfiend
-Karma Kollective
-artrevo_concertphotography