Nikki O’Neill was born in Los Angeles but mostly grew up in Stockholm, Sweden and now calls Chicago home. The cultural influences in her development as a human probably goes some way to explain how her fusion of Americana, Soul, Gospel and Blues comes off like a confident yet self-aware manifestation of the finely honed pop songs of the late 70s and early 80s with some of its own roots in R&B. O’Neill’s new, and third solo, record Stories I Only Tell My Friends dropped March 14, 2025 on 12” LP vinyl CD, digital download and streaming. The album is full of vibrant energy and instantly relatable tales of having moved from the West Coast to the Midwest and holding on to a sense of self that isn’t jaded and numbed by the pace and demands of our current society. Throughout the record, O’Neill seems to struggle and come to terms with existential doubt, demonstrating she is more than slightly familiar with the importance of learning to come at the world like you’re new to so many things again and again to bring a freshness of spirit to life and one’s creative work. The effort to do so abundant from song to song.
Listen to our interview with Nikki O’Neill on Bandcamp and follow O’Neill at the links below.
Queen City Sounds and Art 
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