What people are saying.

  • "I first met NikNak in 2018; she was performing in a concert at Leeds Conservatoire as part of a Brighter Sound residency with Shiva Feshareki. I was blown away - I'd never seen DJ equipment used in that way before. Really inventive, exciting, and cutting-edge. Since then, we've gigged together and NikNak is a joy to work with. I lecture at Leeds Conservatoire, and I'm looking forward to inviting her in to deliver sessions with my production students."

    Dr. Ben Gaunt, Composer

  • "I have worked with Nicole Raymond in several capacities and recommend her highly in her career endeavors. In addition to collaborating with her creatively, we have spoken together on panels and worked together on events. As performers and within our roles as academics, we have both spoken to the underrepresentation of marginalized individuals within the music industry. Raymond prepares and adjusts easily to various audiences to speak authoritatively on her experience as a working musician and as activist regarding equity and diversity within the arts."

    Marlo De Lara, artist. academic. activist.

  • “Working with DJ NikNak was everything you’d want from a creative collaboration – inspiring, fun and insightful. NikNak’s ability to pull on our central character’s cultural influences and interpret them musically was insanely good. It lifted the piece and gave the whole thing a rich texture which not only enhanced the emotional content but also the themes and message of a dense play about identity.”

    Alexander Ferris

    Associate Director at Leeds Playhouse

  • "Working with NikNak during an R&D for TAME a new show in 2020 was a pleasure. She was reliable and delivers everything agreed and more. Often working with composers can entail them not being in the rehearsal room for long period. As we were devising in a collaborative manner we wanted to create an equal space to play and NikNak jumped into all activities both behind the ‘decks’ and in front. This helped her to have a fuller musical response to the work we were creating and also a creative response to the direction of the show. I look forward to working with her again

    Eleanor Manners, Leeds Playhouse

  • "NikNak regularly displays a killer curatorial edge in her sets, be it a mix of dub delays and echoes on her ambient-inspired album 'Bashi' or a breezy groove-inspired mix for her residency - routinely bridging disparate sounds with her roots as a hip-hop head ... while cementing herself as a musical stalwart on the UK dance scene...

    Clash Magazine

  • "I worked with Nicole Raymond on a collaborative improvisation for Somerset House Studios. Her turntablism was incredible to watch and hear. Nicole brought an enriching rhythmic, syncopated bass into the mix. I would highly recommend working with Nicole as a positive, talented and highly skilled musician."

    Vivienne Griffin, artist