Photos by Ronaldo Gutierrez

Nikki Valentine

Alluring, Brazilian singing sensation Nikki Valentine (known as Nikki) is an effervescent bundle of vibrant talent and sensuous excitement. One of the finalists on “The Voice Brasil,” Nikki sings at huge circuit parties and has been invited to sing at New York during World Pride this year. Best known for her electronic music and her self-written song “Cha Cha Boom,” she has performed at The Week, one of the most grandiose clubs in the world, made her U.S. debut last year at the White Party and has already performed at World Pride in Madrid.

With nearly more social media followers than God, she quickly made her way in the hearts of the gay community globally. Her excitement and her love from the community is genuine. I spoke with Nikki and fell in love with her instantly.

Photos by Ronaldo Gutierrez

What do you have planned coming up for the next couple of months?
First of all, I’m very excited to be in New York for the very first time for New York Pride. Next month I should go to Brazil; there is Carnival. I must go there to visit my family, and then when I come back I have a show here in Los Angeles. Then in April I’m going to Europe on my European tour, and then I’m going to Bangkok. It will be the first time I will be in Asia. I will be doing the biggest party in Bangkok called Songkran. It’s going to be amazing. I am filled with new places to perform, and I’m so excited. I will be in Bangkok for the first time, and that will be April 13. I think I will stay the whole month of April in Europe and hopefully will be booking something in Portugal and Paris, but they are not confirmed. Also, the last weekend in April I have the White Party in Palm Springs. I’m going to perform there as well.

Photos by Ronaldo Gutierrez

So you are actually performing at World Pride in New York?
Yes, and I’m so, so excited about that. I’m so proud, because two years ago the World Pride was in Madrid, and that was my debut in Madrid. I did two shows in Madrid for World Pride. So being in World Pride for New York, I feel very happy to be part of this event.

I think you are massively popular with all those hot gay men in your videos.
Oh, I love them. I live for them. I always say that I’m a gay man stuck in a woman’s body.

I always say that too.
Then we are sisters.

We are! Are you planning to visit Fire Island?
I’ve never been there, but I think it would be so fun! I just came to the U.S. one year ago, so I’m still finding out different places.

You were a finalist on “The Voice” in Brazil?
Yes, I was! It was so cool. It was a beautiful moment in my career. I was already doing gay festivals all over Brazil, and outside as well. When I did “The Voice,” all kinds of people knew me: old ladies, the little girls, because my hair was pink. The little girls wanted my hair. It was so nice. I went to the finals, so I spent like three months really getting experience to be in a reality show—to be nervous, to have all the pressure of being in a competition, to have to prove myself every week. It was super fun, and I got so much out of that experience. It was very good for my career.

We really are sisters, because I have pink hair too. You have done a lot and will be doing a lot. Is there anything that you wish to do along the way?
Oh, there’s so many things that I didn’t do yet. I want to travel to all of the places and do all of the gay festivals and all of the gay prides in the world. I want to go to Tel Aviv Pride, because I have so many friends there like Eliad Cohen, who owns the PAPA Party. So I’m really willing to go to Tel Aviv Pride. Also, I’ve never been to Australia, so I think it would be amazing to go there. There is so many places that I haven’t gone to yet. I haven’t gone to Italy, I still haven’t gone to Germany, so I have so many places to go, so many festivals to do. I want to be everywhere. I love traveling. I love being surrounded by these amazing people; they are so fun and so happy. It’s not only about the parties, but showing the message of love, and just to be together with people who love music.

Photos by Ronaldo Gutierrez

You write your own songs as well?
Yes, I write my own songs. I started to write when I was very, very young. I always like writing English, and I like electronic music. In Brazil it’s very hard for you to release a song in English. When I started to do my music in English, some of the DJs started to listen, and they offered to remix it. Suddenly I was doing electronic music in clubs. I didn’t expect that; it was a surprise for me. I didn’t plan it, but it was amazing. My biggest dream was to play at The Week, which is one of the biggest gay clubs in the world. I love the club, and it was my dream one day to perform there. Then one day the owner of The Week called me said he listened to one of my songs, and then he asked me to perform there. I was shocked. It was my dream to be there, and I wondered what would I be doing next if this was my first show. It was super cool, and I started to do a show there every month. They taught me so many things. After that I started to do clubs and music all over.

What a cool story. It’s so exciting. So, if you could say anything in the world to your fans and followers, what would that be?
I would say to keep being so happy and keep making people so happy. Despite all the problems that we have, all the homophobic people, all the laws that sometimes don’t protect the gay people, despite all of that, they are the most happy people that I’ve ever met in my life. That’s why I fell in love with them, and that’s why I say that I am a gay man in a woman’s body. They make people happy. They are always smiling. And if I could say something, I would say keep smiling, and I will keep doing my songs for them, because I have so much love for them, and they give so much love back.

International Performances for Nikki Valentine
• 13 Apr Bangkok SongKran
• 20 Apr Paris Gibus Club
• 26 Apr Palm Springs White Party
• 05 May Dublin We Party
• 09 May Gran Canaria Avalon Festival
• 11 May Gran Canaria Avalon Festival
• 16 May Tel Aviv Papa Party
• 19 May Lisbon MSX Sunset
• 25 May Geneva Fly Wish
• 09 Jun Los Angeles 1Oak
• 15 Jun Denver Pride
• 28 Jun New York World Pride
Frisky Party – tickets available at JCeventsinternational.com

Eileen Shapiro

Best selling author of "The Star Trek Medical Reference Manual", and feature celebrity correspondent for Get Out Magazine, Louder Than War, and Huffington Post contributor, I've interviewed artists from Adam Ant, Cyndi Lauper, and Annie Lennox to Jennifer Hudson, Rick Springfield, LeAnn Rimes, and thousands in between. My interviews challenge the threat of imagination....

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