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Nikki Shannon is more than just a pretty face. In fact, she has the complete package--stunning voice, well-seasoned pianist, incredible songwriting and an electrifying personality that captures you instantly and leaves an indelible mark on your soul. Nikki also has a chilled vibe that flows right into her music and her performances which she executes as easily as enjoying a glass of fine wine.

But things were not always so easy for Nikki.

"It all started on Thanksgiving Eve when I was 4. My mom went to buy a horse but instead came back with a piano." Growing up in Kingston, New York, Nikki would watch her two older sisters play the piano and begged her mother for piano lessons. Even at a young age, she spent hours incessantly at the keyboard. In her teen years, she was constantly performing and songwriting--at first, singing in lounges, then writing/performing wedding songs for couples, and eventually writing songs for her debut album "Too Few".

Even with all this early success and incessant drive, Nikki couldn't escape the financial challenges of being a New York City artist and eventually became homeless. She would sleep in the backseat of cabs, on friends couches, and even in the basements of piano bars where she performed. But the music always kept her going, and Nikki never let any set backs cloud her visions of success.

Nikki's striking style, exceptional talent and her "bring it" attitude definitely sets her apart from other artists. Her songs reflect her to a tee--they are raw, real, and relatable. From moments of self-empowerment ("She is Me" and "Inner Circle"), self-realization ("Drink"), self-doubt ("Under Her Breathe"), and even making light of a woman's monthly visitor ("Chocolate and Wine"). "Suffocate", Nikki's favorite track, displays the sexy grittiness of her voice and showcases her classical piano training. Nikki's songs have recently been featured in an episode of "Six Degrees" on ABC, as well been on XM Satellite radio and the NYC classic rock station Q104.3 ("Out of the Box" hosted by Jonathan Clarke.) Nikki Shannon's debut album "Too Few" (released June 2008) is an eclectic mixture of sounds bursting with infectious melodies incorporating several genres of music yet sounding like nothing you have heard before.