We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nikki Holland a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Nikki, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

My mom was big on “The Golden Rule” of “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” My mom is a lot like a mix between Mary Poppins and Yoda, and she always has encouraged me to uplift those around me. It’s not always easy to take the high road. Still, the enduring encouragement led me to a nerdy moment a few years ago wherein I considered the passionately debated topic of equality. I paused and asked myself why I would want to be equal with anyone ignorant, racist, agist, etc. My mom always taught me to take the high road. Do for others what you would want to be done for you. Born from this has been what has become a locally well-known motto, “Until We Are Equal, Be Greater Than.”

This motto has opened doors for many conversations, created bonds, and is proudly worn on shirts sold even now internationally. The wonderful gifts of perspective and endurance are two of the gifts my mom gave me that I hope to share.

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?

I’m the jack of all trades, master of none type. I’ve lived in several states around the US and even spent some time overseas doing volunteer work. Originally from Las Vegas, NV, I don’t shy away from fun opportunities, which has led me to do many things that make for great stories. Some of the songs I write are social statements, but some are just about life experiences…mine and others.

I always wanted to sing and play the guitar, though I didn’t sink my teeth into it until my 20s, and I didn’t have my first band until my 30s. I recorded my first album in the Detroit, MI, area and formed a band shortly after that album was released. I didn’t know where I was headed and didn’t have the right people with me, but I eventually got there. The key was figuring out who I was as an artist and becoming comfortable with the music that most speaks to me, about me, and for me.

I’m most proud of the motto, “Until We Are Equal, Be Greater Than.” This has empowered me to get behind charitable work with a purpose. It has made me incredibly humble and repeatedly pulls me back into perspective when I’m reminded that I must live by my motto.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I used to get my socks in a bunch about being asked to do charity shows. I would count the people around me getting paid, from the bar owners to the wait staff, and ask myself why the band was the only group being asked to offer their services for free. I was frustrated because it seemed the only people who were deemed to be unworthy of pay were the performers, and I didn’t know where to put this frustration. In my heart, I wanted to be charitable, but I also didn’t want to undercut myself or other bands by playing “for the exposure”.

I came to understand that this could be well within my control. Now we do several charitable shows a year, but it is on my terms, and we do our research about the event and the cause.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Support small businesses! Here’s one small step. You can enter your closet and put all your t-shirts into one group. Now, look at how many were purchased in support of a local or small business. I would encourage people to buy from a band instead of from Old Navy, from a local coffee shop instead of Abercrombie, or from a local tattoo shop instead of from REI. You get the picture.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.NikkiHollandMusic.com
• Instagram: @nikkihollandmusic
• Facebook: @nikkihollandmusic
• Youtube: @nikkihollandmusic