Nikita Ignacio-Ferguson is one of the newest and talented R&B artistes attached to Ssignal Productions and has recently released three new singles. Although it’s only been seven months since she’s taken up singing professionally, already fans are raving about her latest releases.
Nikita has not yet performed live but has in her early childhood at just five years old sang at her nursery graduation; she later went on to sing at other school concerts. She began writing songs while a fifth grader and continued for 12 years then producer Bonny Alves of Ssignal Productions took up writing for her.
Asked whether music runs in her family she confirmed that indeed it was. “As far as I could remember, I’ve been into music all my life…. all of my father’s side are musicians and some on my mother’s.”
Her father she claims is her biggest inspiration. “…My papa taught me how to play the guitar…. music is comfort to me…. I love music,” Nikita said. The guitar brings her comfort although she’s no pro at it but just being able to strum it and sing along.
Some others that have inspired Nikita are some of the all-time classics like: Shirley Bassey, who she adores for her voice, performance and poetry; Barbara Streisand, Tom Jones and Kenny Rogers. Apart from being inspired to sing, they have taught her to remain humble and to stay positive. Her favourite that tops the list however is the wonderful Celine Dion.
Since she began singing Nikita said she’s been contacted by other producers telling her to leave her current producer and to join them. This so far has only been the only discouragement she has gotten. She added that it was Bonny who supported her talented most of all. Her other supporters to have her back are her fiancé, parents and siblings. Now with her putting her songs out within the last seven months, she now has fans from across Guyana and the Caribbean supporting her music.
Most of her fans have praised her for her mesmerizing voice and as well as how clear the lyrics are. In fact Nikita said that her lyrics are so clean even children can understand what she sings about and her music remains conscious enough that it can be sung by anyone.
Her three songs are: “Hello You,” “I Miss You” and “Come Over”. “I Miss You” and “Come Over” are dear to Nikita as these are from personal experiences. “Miss You” tells of two persons in a relationship who are kept apart because they are from different countries while on the other hand “Come Over” is actually the story of how she and her current fiancé met. “Hello You” tells a tale of a girl who felt deeply about a guy and rehearsed what she’s say to him again and again but whenever she approached him, the words fled her…. though determined she promises that there’ll be a next time and she’ll surely tell him then.
Nikita still has seven other songs yet to be released, which is scheduled for early next year.
Nikita doesn’t believe that Guyanese are supported enough in the arts but believe that more light can be shed on promoting not just Guyanese music but positive lyrics. Whether there is enough support from the public or not, she’ll not be one to stop and said that she’ll always have a career in music. This will not crush her dreams of being an inspiration to the young and the old in and around Guyana and the Caribbean or of gaining international recognition for songs.
But it isn’t just songs that this young woman has under her belt; she has recently been cast in the CineGuyana’s new movie Ankoko which is scheduled to be released next year as well. Although it’s Nikita’s debut in acting, already she has seized one of the lead roles, where she plays the girlfriend of the star of the movie. The movie presents the story of two families at feud over land; said to be a smaller version or depiction of the Guyana/Venezuela border dispute.
Apart from her music career, Nikita describes herself as one who is humble, jovial, loving and hates discrimination. She hates to see children and animals suffer and spends a great deal of her time with Max, her dog.
A few things to know about this young woman; she hails from the Kuru Kururu on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway, because they moved a lot she ended up attending three secondary schools: Hauraruni Secondary, Linden High and Soesdyke Community High School. Nikita also did two levels of Portuguese at the Brazilian Embassy and though she has taken a break from things, she plans to complete the other four levels when she returns to Guyana soon.
Her hobbies include: singing of course, swimming, going for motorcycle rides, and raising puppies not forgetting walking Max. She also enjoys watching comedies.
Nikita hopes to someday take up the Soca and Calypso genres. For now, she remains quite contented with R&B.
A few of her songs set to be released in a few months are: “Let’s Get It On,” “Where the Party At”, “Where Did It All Begin” and “Tell Me Why”. The remaining three songs are yet to be given titles.
“Hello You”, “I Miss You” and “Come Over” can be listened and downloaded at Nikita at YouTube.
