www.acay.com.au/~thebongo

CD: Next Of Skin (2001 Shockwave Studio)

Nikki Madden lives in the Blue Mountains area of New South Wales. The CD title track "Next Of Skin" celebrates her same sex lover of 20 years – with whom she has raised "lots of kids". She says she feels a bit compelled by her classification as a "folk" singer to put in her love song "some sort of comment that, in spite of the fact that we feel 1000% legitimacy about how we relate to each other, our relationship is still considered to be somehow legally inferior. So I keep the language in that song in the area of soft core salaciousness, so as to make a serious social justice issue exude some genuine humanity".

The song "Next Of Skin" has received broad acceptance and support from environmentalists and community radio, through to the ABC. It’s an up-tempo piece with a catchy hook that’s indicative of the politically aware, yet life affirming nature of the rest of her songs. As Nikki’s first studio album in her 33 years of performing music, it is a product which validates her early decision to live an honest and loving life, rather than to compromise and struggle in the cut-throat commercial music industry. She has a uniquely intimate style of vocal that is very easy on the ear, just like her spoken voice.

One song I really appreciate is "Such A Beautiful Man" which I expect is a proud observation of one of her grown-up children who now has the world at his feet – with all of the right attitudes, lots of confidence and self-acceptance. Nikki’s website is well worth visiting for her background story, full details of all songs, photos, and vital alternative lifestyle and acoustic music links.