Meet Nikki O’Neill

We were lucky to catch up with Nikki O’Neill recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nikki, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
I get my endurance from knowing that this is a journey I’m supposed to be on. I’m very resilient when it comes to music especially, because I’ve kept working on becoming better as a singer, songwriter, guitarist and stage performer long after most people would have given up, or slowed down their pace. I get my resilience from following my vision and some kind of inner guidance, and it’s one action at a time. Most of the time, I get an affirmation from the universe that I’m doing the right thing, which gives me the strength to continue taking the next step, and the another one.

But here’s what’s really important: I don’t do this by being delusional, but by realistically assessing my abilities and doing the work needed to become who I know I am… and believing in that vision. I’m also open to learning and revising my approach. And I also study some of the masters, but know that everybody’s path is unique so you need to be in tune with your truth… even as your truth might tell you that you need to keep writing, releasing albums and play lots of shows to reach the next level of your art, craft, success or whatever.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m a singer, songwriter and guitar player in Chicago, and I have released two solo albums and two singles. Since 2019, I’m a recording artist on Blackbird Record Label, an indie label based in Los Angeles. I was signed just before my 50th birthday.

I moved from LA to Chicago with my husband (who plays drums) in 2020. I’m a bandleader, and perform professionally with my 5-piece band around Chicago. I teach group guitar lessons for adults at the Old Town School of Folk Music — the largest community arts school in the U.S. — and I’m a freelance writer for Guitar Player Magazine. I also write about music and food for the Chicago Tribune as a freelancer. To afford recording and promoting albums plus the mortgage of our house, I have a full-time dayjob as a Swedish translator and interpreter.

In February, I’m going into the studio to record the first two singles for my next album. The first single will be out in April.

And if you’re in Chicago in April, I will be playing with my band at Fitzgerald’s on April 6 and then opening for the internationally known blues guitarist Sue Foley at SPACE on April 17.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I started late and I had no mentors. I had to be my own mentor. But I’ve persevered and managed to attract more opportunities to develop my skills, get paid to perform them, and meet more supportive people as I’ve continued.

Again, you can’t be delusional. You have to have a realistic assessment of your abilities, and you need to be willing to know yourself… to know if something really is right for you and if it’s worth putting in the effort to shape yourself in that direction. Be willing to listen and learn from the masters, even if you need to follow your truth as I said.

You need to focus on the process too, rather than the end result. With experience, I’ve actually found the process to be more fulfilling than the end result or the promotion part of something. And even if you maybe don’t get “success” in the way you pictured it, you’re creating a body of work and you’re creating your life. Compare that to people who just hit the pause button on their life and dreams. The process is where it’s at, because I think you attract people, situations and experiences based on how you’re creating yourself.

A musician friend of mine, Raed El-Khazen, gave the best advice that I live by:

“ There is no luck. There is only hard work towards who you know you are and believing in that vision. When you are truly ready not when u think you are things will fall in the right place. Your only duty is to work hard and never give up.”

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
I’ll say mostly me, even though I’m very grateful to the people I’ve encountered who have been supportive, helpful or kind. My husband is incredibly supportive of me, and I never take that for granted.

If I would’ve listened to my family members, teachers, class mates, fellow musicians, music industry people or music critics, I would’ve either quit, gotten really disoriented or had a complete identity crisis.

There are so many people who thought I was a better guitarist than singer, while others had the complete opposite opinion. One music reviewer described me as “Shania Twain-style country pop” and expressing surprise at why I don’t list any country artists as my influences… well, I almost never listened to country music… I grew up on soul music and classic rock. I’ve had voice teachers give me terrible grades or attempt to make me insecure. A German music reviewer thought my singing voice was terrible, while other reviewers think my singing is great, nuanced and expressive.

If you’re confident, but also balanced, kind, realistic and all about doing good work, you will meet the right supportive people and situations. The toxic stuff won’t come to you, or if it does appear, at least it won’t stick to you. Now there are a lot of successful people who wouldn’t care about these things, who maybe even find that a bit unexciting or dull, but that’s what matters to me. And it keeps leading me to a really good and fulfilling life.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Deb Morrison-Littell, Chris Moseman, Rich Lackowski and Nikki O’Neill.

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