Nikki Hill Is Planning An Epic Set At Bluesfest 2017

Since then, Hill has been sharing her unique blend of blues, rock and soul for audiences across the globe, showcasing her distinct and powerful voice along the way. As touring wraps up in support of Heavy Hearts, however, Hill is particularly excited to see what will come next as she begins to piece together album number three.

“I recorded Heavy Hearts at the start of 2015 with the full intention of making it my touring record just for that year,” she says. “What happened was I went through a lot of personnel changes in the band and a lot more time on the road than I’d anticipated, meaning that the record didn’t get released until the end of the year. I spent a lot of 2016 promoting the record, but by the same token I was already well under way with writing new songs. This year, I’m going to be road-testing a lot of stuff for the next record. At the same time, I’m also going to be playing a lot of stuff from the last record because it wasn’t out the last time I was in Australia. Basically, if you saw me last time, you’re in for a completely different show.”

Hill performed for years in and around America’s south before taking to the road and making her name on a global scale. One early fan of hers was Phil Alvin, the lead singer of famed roots rock veterans The Blasters. It was Hill’s chance encounter with Alvin that led to an onstage duet between the two – and a star, as they say, was born.

“I’m a huge fan,” says Hill. “For me, if you’re a singer and you’re looking to kind of find your own identity and your own voice, Phil is the perfect person to study for that. When he sings, it’s him and nobody else. That’s something that I feel like I’m always working on as a singer. I have a lot to thank Phil for – I got up and sang with him a while back, and a video of us singing together went up on YouTube. I’ve kind of been able to pursue everything that I’m doing now thanks to what started with me singing with him. It was a real kick in the ass to give this whole singing thing a go. I’ve had the chance to sing with Phil a few more times, and it’s intimidating every single time. I do love being thrown in the deep end, though.”

The music of Hill is a curious beast, insofar as it’s partially indebted to a bygone era of soul and blues, and yet is pushed forth in a contemporary musical climate. It’s not something that is lost on Hill herself, who has seen her fair share of reactions from different generations of music listeners and critics to what she is doing with her music. As far as she’s concerned, it’s all about identity, rather than genre semantics.

“I always think that the ultimate importance is being true to yourself,” she says. “You have to be true to what makes music real for you, to what’s inspiring you to write in the first place. In my view, it’s all very contemporary. Because I listen to so much vintage music, I think I can directly hear how different it is. For the average listener, though, I think that the music I’ve been creating has been relying on a balance between two separate interests – people who listen to vintage music seeking out something contemporary, and people who listen to contemporary music seeking out something vintage.

“It’s all how people interpret it. For me, it’s way more about speaking my mind. I don’t like limiting myself to a certain sound or a vibe – even I don’t know what the music is going to sound like the next time I sit down to write a song. I want to keep it that way – I like confusing people.”

Hill and her backing band return to Australia this month as part of the absolutely gargantuan Bluesfest lineup. From Mavis Staples to Madness and back again, it’s easily one of the most diverse and all-encompassing lineups the festival has ever assembled. Hill is just as excited to be an attendee as she is a performer – namely on account of a few key heroes and fellow touring acts.

“Patti Smith is so exciting for the 14-year-old punk rocker in me,” she says with a laugh. “I’m a huge Mavis Staples fan, too, so she’s always up the top of my list. I’m really excited to see Nas, Mary J Blige, Santana, Laura Mvula… the lineup is just throwing things in your face that you’d never expected to see.

“There’s also a whole bunch of acts on the bill – St. Paul and The Broken Bones, just for an example – where we’re always crossing paths on the road, playing the same city on consecutive nights or playing the day after one another at a festival. It’s going to be great to reconnect with them. I can already tell that the festival is just going to be killer set after killer set.”

[Nikki Hill photo by Natalie Grono]

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