We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nikki Buatti. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nikki below.
Hi Nikki , thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.
What i do differently which works best for me is i keep my team very small. I found its all about trust as i have seen and been through my horrible share of the wrong people taking advantage of me in this business. I always write my songs alone. When it comes to making music and production of the songs i only work with one producer (Brendan Keenan). One mixing/mastering engineer (John Arbuckle). All 3 of us together at the legendary Cove City Sound Studios. And i have my go to musicians who have become family to me and there is such a beautiful trust and genuine love in that room when we all dive into a song together. My musicians to name a few of the legendary cats i work with in the studio and performing on stage are Richie Cannata, Mac Gollehon, Jay Rodriguez, Andy Burton, Kelly wolfgramm, Jenny Douglas, Stephan Grisham Barber, DJ Logic, Annette Aguilar, Jake Chapman. They’re all seasoned professional cats whom i look up to, more than value, trust dearly and learn from each in different ways. Most of all when keeping a small close team of trust i have found it especially works best when creating content and art in the visual department when we have photoshoots and create music videos. I only work with my creative director William Macaulay owner and founder of Modern Day Auteur. We don’t need a team of 20 to create something spectacular. What we do together just the 2 of us looks as if we did have a huge team but we get it done more efficiently and impressively alone. I do my own hair and make up and styling. We do our own set design together. Anytime we had been forced to hire a whole team by people that used to try to control my every move we only found stress, time wasted, money wasted, bad jobs done and that caused the art to suffer. We have a vision that not everyone understands and when you bring in too many people to help then that vision gets watered down the wrong way. But when we keep it small just the 2 of us that vision thrives and gets executed exactly how it should! Exactly how we dreamed it up! And then the art speaks for itself in the most impressive way. I had 3 people i got rid of that tried to control my every move in the wrong way when it wasn’t part of their job nor were any of them in the creative department of their jobs. They’d put me down and tell me my plans and visions were horrible and when i wouldn’t listen to their opinions they called me difficult and punish or hinder me in ways that they could. They’d tell me i was incompetent and couldn’t do any of this alone. My wellbeing physically and mentally suffered from it. So now i run everything by myself and i proved them wrong. My first release a song called “Retreat” i got to show off my acting skills in that music video and i am very proud of the art me and my videographer/director created. Not only was everyone impressed! But they were all shocked it took 2 people with a helping assistant to get it all done!
Nikki , 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?
My name is Nikki Buatti (only one in the world so it’s really easy to find me!) i am a singer/songwriter, recording artist, actor. I have a 10 piece band we perform live in manhattan so far! Hoping to branch out and tour soon. We mostly perform at legendary venue “The Bitter End” where i have a residency. I’m currently in the middle of finishing up my album (Miss LoneyHeart)! I am releasing a few singles every few weeks till the entire album comes out this summer! Already i have released 2 singles off of the album! First one was in March which is a cover called “Retreat”. Second one just released in April which is an original i wrote called “Not Know You”. I was born into this industry! Been making art since before i could remember. My mom (rest her soul) was an artist so she grew us up creating art with our hands, painting since babies even with finger paints. My dad taught me the drums since i was 2 years old. I started acting at about 3 or 4 years old. I started singing when i was 3 years old (self taught) i would hear artists such as Etta james, Ray Charles, The Supremes, Judy Garland, Sam Cooke, Dorothy Dandridge, Smokey Robinson (who i had the honor of meeting and hanging with through mutual friends). He’s such a kind humble man. I told Smokey that he started a revolution that made me the artist i am today! He’s part of why Motown exists! Every artist he ever worked with or wrote for or produced for Motown records partially inspired me to be the artist i am today. Even at 5 years old i was hooked! Not only do i write songs for myself but I’ve been hired to step in and help artists finish albums or songs when they get stuck on words. I’ve been hired to write and sing hooks/chorus on albums for other artists. I’ve been hired to play drums on albums. What sets me apart from other artists is I’ve never followed what was popular or what society said was the new fad. I’ve always stayed true to me and what inspires and drives me as an artist. My music interests include a lot of oldies, girl groups from the 60’s, doo-woo, 1940’s standards, soul, Motown!! But i like good music period! All genres all era’s. Lauryn Hill was a huge inspiration during my teen years and Mariah Carey, Celine Dion! What also sets me apart from other artists is i see a lot of artists or people in general compare themselves to everyone around them. I’ve never once compared myself or my art to another. You can’t compare your voice because no one has the same tone as you or the same color, character, timing, style. We’re uniquely different even to the smallest parts. I’ve only ever compared myself to my best self. If you go around comparing your self to every other singer it will only hinder you and hold you back and you won’t grow. I continue to grow because i don’t compare myself. And I’ve found my own style by not copying but by being inspired by everything around me. Music from all era’s, all genres, all artists and i’ve kept it since i was 3 years old because i stay true to myself and who i am as an artist.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I have a few moments in my life that really showed me just how strong i am because i got through them. But the most recent one started in 2022 up until 2024 i was working closely with a few industry behind the scenes people that were illegally withholding my music. Were bullying me about my looks and every aspect of my life. “Their way or the highway” and if i didn’t listen or agree there were repercussions. I stayed in that situation for so long because i thought if i do it their way then ill get my music to release but it never changed. And what they were doing was against the law as i always fully owned my music alone. Drained my money left me with nothing. But worst of all i was so severely stressed out i started having seizures from it all i had to pause my music and pause my performance’s starting summer of 2023. The worst time was early 2024 my last seizure i fractured my back in a few spots during that seizure. Couldn’t walk till summer of 2024 on my own. Had a walker for a while. Started anti seizure medicine to prevent more seizures. And that was a struggle in itself! That medicine made it hard for me to sing as i was getting used to it all of 2024 because it was so dehydrating (I’m a naturalist so that medicine took a toll on my mind and my body). I was having panic attacks and nervous break downs if not weekly then every few days all of 2024 because of the mental abuse i was under. Then early fall time of 2024 i sat down and i decided to stick up for myself and speak out to loved ones. I got rid of the people making me sick physically and mentally. I said i come first and so does my health and happiness from here on out! Starting 2025 i started to slowly feel like me again! I started to sing normally again! It took a lot of rest and me time and healing but i got there! I’m still getting there! Im still struggling. But this summer I’ll be ready to perform live again with my music family! And I’m just so happy i legally got most of my music out so far! I’ll be getting the rest soon as i hired a team to handle that for me. Most of all I’m so happy i finally started releasing my music in March 2025! I’ve been struggling to do that since March 2022. I teased a release 5 times since 2022 but then i couldn’t go through with it cuz i had someone telling me “no i won’t let you” when it wasn’t their property to say no. On the bright side. I was able to find the silver lining in every bad situation all my life! There is a silver lining in every negative if you only look and are open to it! It’s there! I found all of mine and that’s what keeps me going. Focusing on the positive that came out of it over the negative that i went through and for that i am grateful. I learned to say no and not feel bad for it. I learned to have boundaries and keep them. I learned to love myself and respect myself and not allow others to walk all over me. I learned to only surround myself with like minded people who are driven and focused and only have my best interests at heart and vice versa. Most importantly is i learned to cut people out that weren’t healthy for my happiness or physical/mental wellbeing No matter who it is.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
I treat my musicians like family and i show them everyday how honored i am that those legendary cats choose to stay working with me on recording songs and performing live on stage! I make sure they know how much i value them. I don’t just tell them i show them! Even if it’s as little as providing snacks when we all meet for a practice. I don’t just pay them for thier time and creativity in the studio i also think about making sure they feel appreciated by factoring in gas’s and tolls or if they need a lift home. I support thier art and shows by showing up and buying a ticket and cheering them on! I see them as family and friends. I once asked them as a group “why are ya’ll with me?? You tour with some of the biggest names in the world who are able to pay far more than I’m able to currently.” Most of their reply’s were they joined the band cuz they loved my voice and the music but they stayed cuz they loved me. So for me building your reputation is about always showing kindness and respect and value in others. Don’t you ever dare get a big head or think you’re better than anyone else no matter how big or small they are. I’ve seen people not show support or appreciation for other artists cuz of jealousy or because they aren’t considerate and they’ve lost those people because of it. They’ve lost band members because they didn’t show value. Or assumed oh they’ll work for free when someone is giving their time and energy. I’d rather pay my friend over a stranger the amount they worked for and deserve. Never assume just cuz someone is your friend that they don’t deserve full payment as u would pay a stranger. I know im good at what i do but i stay humble and kind and thats why i keep my reputation and the legendary musicians that stay!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nikkibuatti.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikkibuatti
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1KhJRGHgkx/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@nikkibuatti?si=5fyYEV0A6Wqlxgy-
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/nicole-buatti
- Other: Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/nikki-buatti/1666728086
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ialSFChKazUkLph0dBRIw?si=ZkvjqIB7Sb27ylszAwk2bQ
Image Credits
Modern Day Auteur
Bolex Studios