The music-industry buzz around Kimberly Nichole is beyond deafening by now, and it ain’t hard to tell why: the Seattle native is so free-spirited, rock-goddessy and fashionista-fabulous, her vibe makes audiences at her raucous live shows feel positively tipsy. And she’s as down-home a diva as you’re gonna get, dropping tart, funny one-liners à la Millie Jackson.
Nichole also has a glamorously indefinable “it” quality that makes famous people swoon beneath that wild-child spell of hers, from R&B legend Valerie Simpson—Kimberly received ASCAP’s Reach Out and Touch Award, established in the honor of Simpson’s late husband, Nick Ashford— to international style maven André Leon Talley. (In 2010, Kimberly was featured in the pages of Vogue at Mr. Talley’s personal behest.)
Kimberly Nichole wowed a gang of new fans when the powerhouse vocalist strutted her stuff as a Music Matters artist at the 2011 BET Awards, and songs from her feisty rock ’n’ soul debut album, The Yellow Brick Journey, have been featured on various TV shows. So why is this diva still unsigned, you may ask?
“Remaining indie hasn’t been a conscious decision,” she admits. “I’ve had many incredible moments on my journey. I think they all are leading me up to something bigger… greater. One of my friends told me, ‘It is not a matter of talent, it is a matter of time.’ And I believe that. I keep working and creating with the belief [that] my time is sooner than I know.” — Sun Singleton
Follow “rock ballerina” Kimberly Nichole over on KimberlyNichole.com, or follow her on Twitter @KimNicky.
Sun Singleton is a Virginia-born singer/journalist based in New York City. Follow her on Twitter @sunsing.
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