Interview: Nik West with her Sexy Funk at Jazzpiknik

You can go to Paloznak Jazzpiknik by shuttle bus as well, which provides a comfortable journey between Budapest and Paloznak! This year, in addition to the usual re-glasses, returnable wine and champagne glasses and bottles will also be available. Soft drink re-glasses can be purchased for HUF 500, while wine, champagne and bottled ones can be purchased for HUF 1.000 in the area. The detailed map is now available so everything can be easily found during the festival. In addition countless information boards and program booklets will ensure that everyone finds their chosen stage or refreshment spot. On the first day on the Main Stage, on August 3, after the warm-up at 7:30 p.m. Nik West, the extravagant-looking bass guitarist-singer, will open the Jazzpiknik.

 

 

 

Born into a musical family in Phoenix, Arizona, Nik West was encouraged to play music at a very early age and formed a band with his sisters. He started playing bass in high school and never looked back. She has performed with Quincy Jones, Prince, Dave Stewart, John Mayer, Macy Gray and Parliament Funkadelic, among others, and has made several appearances on the television shows "Glee" and "American Idol". Nik West's stage presence is outstanding, he makes music, sings and dances with extraordinary energy and an incredible sense of rhythm, thus making every song, from the weakest to the most dynamic, danceable. Whether performing on stage or recording albums, he impresses the audience and multiplies the views on online platforms with his covers of Michael Jackson, David Bowie, or AC/DC, turbocharged with traditional rock energy.

 

What does this happening mean to you, what kind of feelings, thoughts do you have?

I am so excited. I just have a feeling that this show will be awesome! First time doing a festival in Hungary, so I'm ready!

What kind of atmosphere will you strive for at the Jazzpiknik?
Fun! Lots of good people ready for some NIK WEST FUNNNNK!

How many songs are you going to play?
Around 10 AMAZING songs!

How do you describe your musical style?
I like to call it SEXY FUNK! It's unique, but I pull from my favorite musical heroes. I mix funk with rock and soul. It's really fun to play and it's even more fun to watch!!

You have a little Prince in you, Dave Stewart from Eurythmics told that you are "The Female Lenny Kravitz, how you feel about these?
You think so? That is a huge compliment. Thank you. Prince & Lenny Kravitz they are some of favorite musicians of all time. Dave Stewart heard me singing a cover of AC/DC Back in Black and he started showing me all of these Lenny Kravitz videos and said you are a female version of him. The way you sound and feel music. A black female rock star. I had a whole lesson on the awesomeness of Lenny Kravitz that week.

What is your favorite audience? How your favorite audience behaves?
My favorite audience gives me energy! They are loud and excited and full of energy and it inspires me to do something great. Makes me feel like superwoman!

Do you have your favorite performing clothes?
Something that is stretchy and flashy like a catsuit with colorful hair and accessories. The band HAS to be super colorful.

Do you choose the clothes yourself for each performance or someone helps?
I choose all of my clothing. But I always love having help too! 

Where do you get your special clothes?
Most of the time I get them made. I work with a designer named GALINA MIHALEVA and she is from Bulgaria. She makes some of my clothing. Or I make them myself. I went to school for fashion and she was my teacher. I used to draw the most amazing ideas and now I get to wear them for something I LOVE doing. Performing!

Do you already know what colors you're going to wear at Jazzpiknik?
I don't know yet, but it will be something colorful and GREAT!

And your miracle hair.. do you have several hairdressers always around you?
My hairdresser Dashonna helps me with ideas. We come up with styles together and when I'm on tour, I have to do my hair as we planned.

Which is your most memorable performance?
I've had so many great experiences, but the most memorable one happened on this tour. I just came back to performing after having a baby this year and it was hard work to prepare for the tour. I was nervous, and I didn't feel confident with my abilities. I was shaking before I went on stage (which never happens) and I almost ran away. My parents all called to talk to me and convince me that I could do it. I put everything I had into that show and I saw people in the audience crying. It made me cry because I'd worked so hard just to get back on stage and be in good health and I was received with so much love.

What was your most unpleasant experience at a performance?
I really have fun while I am performing no matter what ...but the only unpleasant experience I've had was when the band and I ate something that messed up our stomachs and we had to run off stage one at a time to "get rid of it" 😂 ...it's funny now but at the time it was a nightmare!

Is there someone or something that usually inspires you?
Fans (my music family)! I get so much inspiration from the fans. I get new ideas from the fans and I get encouragement from the fans!

Do you just come to the show or you will stay to look around for a few days in Hungary?
I definitely want to stay and look around! I haven't done my research on where to go and what to do so maybe you all can help me figure that out 🤭

Which is your favourite own track?
That's a hard question!! I love to play Forbidden Fruit live on stage, but my favorite right now is a song called "Thumpahlenah" because I did that with an absolute LEGEND Larry Graham. He wrote this song for me and I came in and sang the parts with him. So many icons look up to Larry Graham.

You have bass courses, would you tell some details about that?
I have a course called "Bass Domination" www.bassdominationcourse.com, where I teach people how go from FOUNDATION (no knowledge of bass) TO DOMINATION on the bass. I specialize in teaching students that have never picked up an instrument before how to play the bass. Many of them are joining me on stage all summer for my tour to play a song with me. My students also get backstage passes to any of my shows. 

What kind of music, which artists do you listen nowadays?
I listen to as many as I can. I'm into all kinds of music because my mood is different and sometimes I have to have variety. I listen to classical music like Tina Guo, Yo-yo Ma. Old school music like Parliament Funkadelic, Prince, RHCP. New music line Tori Kelly and H.E.R. And then I love getting in elevators or going to restaurants and Shazamming new songs that I've never heard before to discover new artists and genres. That's my favorite thing to do right now.

PALOZNAKI JAZZPIKNIK, NIK WEST >>>

PALOZNAKI JAZZPIKNIK PROGRAMS 2023 >>>

PALOZNAKI JAZZPIKNIK TICKETS >>>

https://jazzpiknik.hu/en/
https://jazzpiknik.hu/en/gasztronomia/
https://jazzpiknik.hu/en/busz/
https://jazzpiknik.hu/en/piknik-helyszinek/
https://www.facebook.com/jazzpiknik
https://www.instagram.com/jazzpiknik/

https://nikwestbass.com/
https://www.facebook.com/nikwestbass
https://www.instagram.com/nikwestbass/
NikWestBass youtube

szisz