Joining NIKI on her Nicole world tour is a group of talented female musicians helping make her show as epic as possible.
Related: A Primer Of The Opening Acts Of Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour
For those lucky to catch NIKI live this year, either during her set in Head In The Clouds Manila or her Nicole world tour, what made her shows so memorable are the new takes and arrangements she gave her tracks. It’s the songs we know and love, but given a fresh twist.
And helping give that twist is NIKI’s all-female band. They undoubtedly are a big reason why NIKI’s sets are as good as they are and bring the show to another level. These five diverse and talented women came together with NIKI to deliver a rocking stage that both gets the crowd pumped and emotional, all while wearing matching outfits. Get to know the members of NIKI’s band below.
KARINA DEPIANO
NIKI has a Filipina in her band, and her name is Karina DePiano, a fitting name for her line of work. This Filipino-Italian was born and raised in San Diego, California to an Italian father and a Filipina mother. Growing up, she was exposed to her Filipino side (she can understand Tagalog), so naturally, music wasn’t far behind. She graduated with a Bachelor of Music–Popular Music Performance from the University of Southern California and quickly embarked on a career as a keyboardist and music director.
Over the years, Karina has assembled a hefty resume that includes working with the likes of Troye Sivan, Miley Cyrus, Fifth Harmony, and Olivia Rodrigo, performed on SNL, and even made an appearance in Taylor Swift’s I Bet You Think About Me music video. (She played the keyboard with the band in the end.)
TINA OHARA
Playing guitar in NIKI’s band is Tina Ohara. She’s a gifted 24-year-old guitarist hailing from the city of angels, Los Angeles. Music has been an important part of this musician and producer’s life since she was young. She even studied it in school, building proficiencies in both jazz and R&B.
DESIREE HAZLEY
NIKI’s songs are already moving masterpieces. But the addition of the violin during her live stages added that extra oomph to get us feeling our feels. You can thank Desiree Hazley for that. This LA native is a true veteran in the industry. She’s played the violin alongside artists like Panic! At the Disco, Halsey, Alicia Keys, Ariana Grande, Coldplay, and Shawn Mendes. She’s performed on the VMAs, Coachella, Glee, and The Voice just to name a few. And if that wasn’t enough, Desiree has also worked with Disney and Dreamworks. Who says playing the violin is boring?
FER FUENTES
Fer Fuentes brought absolute hype to NIKI’s live shows thanks to her drumming skills. And a peek into her resume shows us why. The drummer and producer can boast that she’s worked with other fierce females such as Lauren Jauregui, Becky G, and our very own Ylona Garcia. And while NIKI’s band is set to part ways once the tour is over, it’s clear they’ve formed a family bond like when NIKI got the whole crowd to sing happy birthday to Fer during the tour’s Denver stop.
MOA MUNOZ
Shredding it up on the bass on the Nicole tour is Moa Munoz, a Swedish singer and songwriter who’s shared her fair share of stages with global stars. In fact, before going on the Nicole tour, Moa was on another Asian superstar’s tour, Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour Tour. There, she also played the bass and joined Olivia in performances across the world.
Continue Reading: The Most Memorable Acts From Head In The Clouds Manila
