Nikisha Reyes (BA Performance & Creative Enterprise)

Department:: Drama (BA Performance & Creative Enterprise)

Photo by Ali Wright

Socially engaged, Multidisciplinary Artist & Activist

Nikisha Reyes is a socially engaged, multidisciplinary artist & activist originally from Trinidad and Tobago. She’s often considered a “vocal chameleon”. Gospel, calypso, reggae, soul/r&b, pop, classical, jazz, country and folk music all influence her unique singing style.

Her final graduation project ‘Shadows of a Strong Woman’ demonstrates her multidisciplinary skillset and her commitment to collaboration, activism and socially engaged practice. The philosophical question at the centre of this project is: “How do artists from the UK’s African-Caribbean diaspora highlight the psychological impact of unconscious bias, and systemic racism in order to empower each other and effectuate global transformation?”

The project focuses on mental health, identity and representation specific to Black Lives Matter - and touches on the issue of tokenism, typecasting, and colourism within the performing arts sector. It includes a gospel choir and classical music performances by student members of the Guildhall African Caribbean Society (ACS). The collaboration involved students from across the jazz, classical music and drama departments.

The gospel choir performance is the first time in the history of Guildhall, where fourteen or more Black students were represented in a public school performance.

Prior to Guildhall, Nikisha worked as a session vocalist, providing vocals in both live and recorded context. She was a backing vocalists & dancer Soul II Soul (Jazzie B and Caron Wheeler), and had also performed with the London Community Gospel Choir at The Brit Awards for the1975 Band, Justin Timberlake & Chris Stapleton at the O2 Arena, London. Her collaboration with Ben Cocks on the record So Cold has featured on The Good Wife, Vampire Diaries, So You Think You Can Dance, and many more.

She was the winner of the London Association of British Calypsonians, UK Soca Monarch title for three consecutive years, and performed at several UK Caribbean festivals including Notting Hill Carnival. She also collaborated with UK drum and bass artist General Levy and opened for several international soca artists including Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin, Faye-Ann Lyons, 3 Canal, & Roy Cape All Stars.

PACE Training

Whilst at Guildhall, Nikisha trained as a socially engaged artist, whilst honing her leadership, collaborative and multi-disciplinary skills. Her craft training include; devised theatre, with Endy Mckay, acting with Jamie Bradley, poetry with Jacob Sam La-Rose, and singing with Linda Hutchison. Her socially engaged work and activism is centred around mental health, identity, representation, and Black Lives Matter.

Through her leadership of Guildhall’s African Caribbean Society (ACS), she participated as a member on the school’s anti-racism task force in 2020, and became a member of Guildhall’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) committee. She also co-directed and collaborated in ‘Snowglobe’ Guildhall’s Winter Video Message, which represented a marginalised ethnic student majority from across the Music and Drama department.

Her tenure as the President of the African Caribbean Society (ACS) is marked by a series of landmark events;

The student surveys conducted by the ACS during the BLM campaign 2020, contributed to the process of initiating meaningful change towards Diversity and Inclusion (D&I), particularly within the Drama Department.
The video commemorating George Floyd, Joy Garner and UK victims of systemic racism, will continue to educate and inform others of the BLM UK victims that have suffered at the hands of injustice in Great Britain. It will also serve to continue the dialogue around the psychological impact of unconscious bias and systemic racism on Black ethnic groups.
Furthermore, her establishment of Blackology- a series of conversation events- will continue to provide vital space for students to engage with Black artists working at the highest level of the industry.

Productions at Guildhall

Writer/performer in Shadows of A Strong Woman (June 2021) dir. Nikisha Reyes, Guildhall ‘Of Shadow and Light’ Festival.

Vocalist in Pod (Nov 2020) dir. Jamie Bradley & Vicki Igbokwe

Professional Experience

Backing vocalists & dancer Soul II Soul (Jazzie B and Caron Wheeler) at The London Palladium, Sec Armadillo, Blenheim Palace, and Silverstone Classic.

Freelance vocalist in London Community Gospel Choir at; (The Brit Awards - The1975 Band, Justin Timberlake & Chris Stapleton) The O2 Arena, London.

Judge in The 100- Altogether Now Series 2. (Headed by Geri Horner & hosted by Rob Becket ) BBC one.

Vocalist in sync/tv soundtrack ‘So Cold’ and ‘The Dance is Over’ (written by Ben Cocks) UPPM Records, Atmosphere Music UK.

UK Groovy Soca Monarch 2013/2014/2015 - London Association of British Calypsonians. The Tabernacle.

1st runner-up UK Calypso Monarch 2014 - composition London Association of British Calypsonians. The Tabernacle.

Other Experience

Member of Guildhall School EDI Committee (2021-present)

President of African Caribbean Society (2020/2021) Guildhall student society.

Organiser of Blackology Sessions - Alison Buchanan (Jun 2021) Sharon Watson (Oct 2020) , African Caribbean Society in collaboration with Guildhall School.

Co-curator of the video commemoration of George Floyd, Joy Gardner and UK Victims of Systemic Racism (Jun 2021) Guildhall African Caribbean Society. (Co-curators – Tyreke Lesley, Sesley Hope & Daria Phillips)

Co-Director of ‘Snowglobe’ Guildhall Winter Message (Dec 2020) Co-Dir. Riwa Saab, Nikisha Reyes & Endy Mckay

Vocalist/Songwriter- Impossibilities Jazz Band- (Nov 2019) London Jazz Festival Project- SouthBank

Caroline in ‘Retail Therapy’ (Written by Cleo Thomas) Guildhall CoLABorate Project

Nikisha Reyes (BA Performance & Creative Enterprise)