About Nikki Loy…

Welcome to the online home of Nikki Loy ~ Let me tell you a little bit about this truly renaissance creative adventurer, whose creativity spans from Illustration and crafts, to music and events management, to carpentry and campervan building!

The Early Arty Years:

Born and raised in Devon, daughter to a carpenter and a dressmaker, Nikki excelled at the arts spending most of her free time creating artworks in her sketchbooks, decorating her little wooden studio in the forest, and singing to herself. Her art was first exhibited in St Petersburg, Russia, when she was just 17, in a cultural arts exchange. 

She got into her dream art school – Falmouth College of Arts and gained a BA hons degree in Illustration. But it wasn’t her only passion, while studying she also pursued her other passion – singing, and ended up leading several bands and youth groups in Cornwall. In the summer holidays she would work as Carpenters Assistant to her Joiner father, making bespoke kitchens to help pay her way through college. 

In the year that followed Nikki worked as a part-time Art Teacher, managed a small art gallery, and sang in a few more bands whilst saving enough money to go and study for a diploma in Events Management, production, music and leadership, at Hillsong College in Sydney Australia. There, she sang in even more ensembles, created yet more artwork, gained a lot of experience in events management, and led a team of creatives in set design / building, staging and atmosphere, regularly dressing a 3000 seat auditorium for major events. Although one of her highs from this time was lead singing in a band on ‘Sydney Glass Island’ as it sailed around Sydney harbor at night. 

The Business Years:

After more than two years in Sydney, and some adventures in New Zealand, Nikki returned to the UK where she started working as a Children’s book illustrator, producing several books before she eventually entered the much more down to earth world of corporate work. For four years Nikki worked for a national company, based in Oxford running a property management center of over 400 properties, for which she was awarded Property Manager of the year. Eventually after a series of promotions became a consultant for the company as they created a new purpose built computer management system for the entire national portfolio. Although an extremely capable property manager on the rise, her heart was not in this industry and she looked for a way out.

The Musical Years:

Through a strange turn of events this new job introduced her to a new group of people and Nikki soon found herself immersed in the local live music scene and learning to play guitar properly… Initially taking part in open mic nights, then forming a duo with a friend and busking in the streets of Oxford, or performing at local events. 

Busking was eye opening, Nikki quickly realised through the appreciation of the crowds that would gather around her, that she had what it took to make a living from music. She quit her day job and became a full time solo singer and entertainer, and became a local celeb of sorts – regularly appearing on local radio, writing a column for the Oxford Mail, guest performing for other artists, and taking part in the Strictly Oxford Ballroom dancing challenge. 

Nikki went on to form a band, play many many gigs and festivals, and make her mark on the UK Music Scene. She Completed a 52 week song writing challenge that resulted in her getting signed and recording an album – Pivotal. She supported Westlife’s Shane Filan on his successful 10 date UK Tour, and having already played such iconic venues as the 100 Club and Ronnie Scott’s bar, London, in 2017 Nikki then went on to 32 date tour supporting Sam Bailey playing major venues and concert halls all over the UK.

She has also co-written for a well known Saatchi & Saatchi ad campaign shown on billboards and TVs nationwide. Her award winning video for her single ‘Can I Keep You’ was then chosen by the BBC to be part of their Music Video Festival, screened on big screens in town centers across the UK, also reaching the final of the UK Songwriting Contest. With a back catalogue of two albums, two EPs and a live album and an also impressive resume of gigs, Nikki is now an established musician well known and well loved across the UK. 

Her influences in the early years were blues and soul but her growing interest in music introduced her to Country and Americana, and as a sponge for fresh inspiration she is passionate about electronica and pop too. As a result the music that pours out of Nikki is a unique blend of all that poured in.

While her songs are shaped by both pain and joy; there is a hopefulness and inspiration pervading these tracks, and the stories she tells, which will move and motivate every listener to follow their dreams and take hold of their future happiness. 

FIND NIKKI’S MUSIC HERE and VIDEOS HERE 

The Wandering Years: 

After all of this, Nikki finally decided to ‘switch it up’ again and build her own tour bus, a self-built campervan called Luna Van Blanc. This lead her life in a whole new direction, 37000 miles in the first years touring around the UK and Europe. Documented in a Youtube series, this gutsy girl turned her back on heartache and a life that didn’t fulfil and went of an incredible journey in search of her happy place. Turns out that was a garage in West Sussex that builds campervans, where she now partners with her new fella running a VW restoration company, and being the maker and artist she always longed to be. 

During Nikki’s years at Kustom Revival, she has built many more custom van interiors for their customers but also she has built Gladys beautiful artist studio in a converted library bus which she’s filled with works of art, her own paintings, upcycled furniture, wood and jewelry crafts. But she also uses Gladys to occasionally host community arts events and festivals. And now she has started The Wandering Gallery too.. a pop up arts events business!

Now Nikki lives in West Sussex and between roller skating and cold water sea swimming is focused on creating a variety of arts and entertainment events and workshops whilst also creating a new collection of artwork. She also offers her skills as a Handy Woman to make to make and mend for the local community – Which is very diverse, interesting and satisfying.  

A percentage of her profits go to The Rainforest Alliance and the RNLI.