Meet Jazmine Nikao | Storyteller & Counselor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jazmine Nikao and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jazmine, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Ironically, I did not choose an artistic career, it sort of knocked on my door and I answered. I say this because I did not know I had artistic or creative ability until midway through graduate school. Since the age of eight through college I was an athlete. I still am to some degree, I’m just not as active; however my goals aligned with being an athlete. I did not even look in the direction of creativity growing up. I thought my father and my younger brother had the creative talent, not me.

My journey consists of stumbling upon my musical talent of rap, developing that talent, graduating with my degree in counseling and now marrying my talent with my degree. I thought I was going to end up in a different place with my degree but God told me halfway through my degree that he was going to use it, just not how my classmates are going to use it. I am now seeing that come to life. I currently make music full time and just recently began the journey of creating my non-profit. My non-profit combines music and mental health, inspiring and motivating youth and young adults to begin facing their own pain. I have personally done the work in my own healing and through music I tell that story with the hope of others believing they can do the same. I also give them tools and resources so that they do not have to take that journey on their own.

Art can be healing and I chose to continue using art to express the necessity of healing, the pain in the healing process, and the light on the other side of healing.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The overarching word that describes what I do is “storytelling”. As a creative, I run in a few arenas; I make music, write scripts, an inspiring public speaker, beginner actress and non-profit founder. The foundation of my art is music and all the other branches of my creativity flow from that. I just recently released my first album called “Nikao’s World”. My goal for this album was to tell my story of facing trauma but instead of telling it in the way people would expect, I went a little deeper. I literally wanted my album to be like a book so I created characters and wrote a script along with the music all pushing the story forward. Before listening to the album, pour yourself a cup of coffee, put on your headphones, prop your feet up and hit play. You will then be immersed into the world I created. I give you everything you need besides the visual. This story is a trilogy so two more parts will follow the first one.

Since my album is a lot like a play or a musical, I want to tour my album in schools and colleges, taking this message to many students. Along with bringing the message, I want to bring mental health kits carefully crafted with resources in that particular area if a student so chooses to take that step to face their own trauma.

I am most proud of the fact that I myself have come a long way in my healing journey and now at a place where I can be as vulnerable as I am to help others. Im excited to see how my non-profit will grow and see lives changed through it.

I feel like I am still at the very beginning stages of entrepreneurship and yet it has not been easy. I have been figuring it out as I go. God has blessed me with people in my corner to help me along the way.

Lessons I’ve learned: “if you dwell on ‘failure’, you will drown, not realizing you can actually touch the bottom, so just get back up”

I want the world to know two things, Nikao is a greek word meaning to overcome, to conquer; to be a Nikao is to be a warrior, I simply want to create more Nikao’s; A Nikao Nation #Nikaonation

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Hm, Velvet taco to eat, Cascade to visit and experience, centennial park, Hotel Clermont rooftop and Dugans for food, Ponce City Market, Edgewood

I enjoy checking out places with beautiful scenery. I love rooftops (probably because I love scenery and views). Now 50% of the time I like to go out dancing and the other 50% of the time I love staying in and watching a good movie.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to shoutout my several support systems over the years. In order to be where I am and creating what I have created, Ive had to go through a lot personally. My process was accompanied with my friends over the years since college because that is when the process of healing began.

I have had several friends in different phases of my life up until this point that have sat with me, hugged me, let me cry on their shoulder, listened to my pain and challenged me when it was difficult for them. God really blessed me with solid friends in my life who were willing to play the roles that they did. And if they are reading this, they know who they are.

Website: https://www.nikaomusic.com/

Instagram: @jazminenikao

Youtube: Jazmine Nikao

Other: Online Store: https://jazmine-nikao-merch.myshopify.com/

Image Credits
Superhero Nikao drawn by Kevin Philippe Photography Kaden Walker and Jazmine Bledsoe