Nikki Nelms is an American hairdresser. She has worked with celebrities including
Solange
Solange (died 10 May, c. 880) was a Frankish shepherdess and a locally venerated Christian saint and cephalophore, whose cult is restricted to Sainte-Solange, Cher. Saint Solange was the patron of the traditional Province of Berry, of which Che ...
,
Janelle Monáe
Janelle Monáe Robinson (; born December 1, 1985) is an American singer, rapper and actress. She is signed to Atlantic Records, as well as to her own imprint, the Wondaland Arts Society. Monáe has received eight Grammy Award nominations. Monà ...
,
Zoë Kravitz
Zoë Isabella Kravitz (born December 1, 1988) is an American actress, singer, and model. She made her acting debut in the romantic comedy film '' No Reservations'' (2007). Her breakthrough came with portraying Angel Salvadore in the superhero fi ...
, and
Yara Shahidi
Yara Sayeh Shahidi (born February 10, 2000) is an American actress and model. She gained recognition for her starring role as the oldest daughter Zoey Johnson on the sitcom ''Black-ish'' (2014–2022) and its spin-off series ''Grown-ish'' (2018 ...
. Her best known work includes the hair styling in Solange's "
Don't Touch My Hair
"Don't Touch My Hair" is the ninth track on American singer and songwriter Solange Knowles' third studio album, ''A Seat at the Table''. It was released by Saint Records and Columbia Records on September 30, 2016 with its music video being releas ...
" and Janelle Monáe's hair in "
Pynk
"Pynk" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Janelle Monáe for her third studio album, ''Dirty Computer'' (2018). It features Canadian art pop musician Grimes and interpolates the song "Pink" by Aerosmith, with members of the ba ...
". Nelms is known for using non-traditional materials and bold silhouettes in her styling.
Career
Nelms was raised in
St. Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
, Florida. She self-taught hairstyling as a teenager and honed her skills by doing hair for her classmates and her eight aunts. She attended a few years of college at
Florida State University
Florida State University (FSU) is a public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher education in the st ...
before leaving to pursue a career in hairstyling, and later attended beauty school. Nelms broke into styling for celebrities in 2004 after she met
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...
. This led to later collaborations and helped her gain footing in the entertainment industry. Some of her earliest work was hair styling on music videos for artists such as
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
and
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinc ...
of ''Vogue'' described Nelms' approach to hairstyling as "mixing avant-garde ideas with more traditional techniques." Nelms is known for including everyday objects as accessories in her styles, like sticking several combs on a high vertical ponytail. She also uses non-traditional materials like wire to create structural, sculpted looks. Nelms buys many of her accessories from
Home Depot
The Home Depot, Inc., is an American multinational corporation, multinational home improvement retail corporation that sells tools, construction products, appliances, and services, including fuel and transportation rentals. Home Depot is the l ...
, as well as craft stores, thrift shops, and beauty supply stores.
Nelms uses the term "collaborate" to discuss how she works with clients and how she decides on styling. She has discussed the versatility of Black hair and how styling natural Black hair is sometimes interpreted as radical regardless of her intentions.
Serena Williams
Serena Jameka Williams (born September 26, 1981) is an American inactive professional tennis player. Considered among the greatest tennis players of all time, she was ranked world No. 1 in singles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) for ...
,
Bianca Lawson
Bianca Jasmine Lawson is an American film and television actress. She is known for her regular roles in the television series '' Saved by the Bell: The New Class'', ''Goode Behavior'', ''Pretty Little Liars'', and '' Rogue''. She has also had r ...
, and
Jurnee Smollett
Jurnee Diana Smollett (born October 1, 1986) is an American actress. She began her career as a child actress appearing on television sitcoms, including ''On Our Own (1994 TV series), On Our Own'' (1994–1995) and ''Full House'' (1992–1994). Sh ...
. She is
Zoë Kravitz
Zoë Isabella Kravitz (born December 1, 1988) is an American actress, singer, and model. She made her acting debut in the romantic comedy film '' No Reservations'' (2007). Her breakthrough came with portraying Angel Salvadore in the superhero fi ...
's key hairstylist. She styled
Yara Shahidi
Yara Sayeh Shahidi (born February 10, 2000) is an American actress and model. She gained recognition for her starring role as the oldest daughter Zoey Johnson on the sitcom ''Black-ish'' (2014–2022) and its spin-off series ''Grown-ish'' (2018 ...
's hair for the 2019 CFDA Awards in a braided chignon inspired by a look worn by
Diana Ross
Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown's most successful act during the 1960s and one of the world's best-selling girl groups o ...
in the 1975 film ''Mahogany''.
Nelms has been styling
Solange Knowles
Solange Piaget Knowles (; born June 24, 1986) is an American singer, songwriter, performance artist, and actress. Expressing an interest in music from an early age, Knowles had several temporary stints as a backup dancer for Destiny's Child, wh ...
' hair since as early as 2006 after they were introduced by a mutual friend. The first look she executed for Solange included bangs inspired by singer Shareefa Faradah Cooper, to cover a case of
pinkeye
Conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, is inflammation of the conjunctiva, outermost layer of the white part of the eye and the inner surface of the eyelid. It makes the eye appear pink or reddish. Pain, burning, scratchiness, or itchiness may ...
Solange was dealing with. In 2014, Nelms styled Solange's bridal hair for her wedding day with
baby's breath
''Gypsophila'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the carnation family, Caryophyllaceae. They are native to Eurasia, Africa, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. She did extensive styling for Solange's ''A Seat At the Table'' (2016) album, including every look for the "
Don't Touch My Hair
"Don't Touch My Hair" is the ninth track on American singer and songwriter Solange Knowles' third studio album, ''A Seat at the Table''. It was released by Saint Records and Columbia Records on September 30, 2016 with its music video being releas ...
" video. The beaded braids Solange wore in the video went viral, with fans replicating the braids across social media. The look was inspired by jazz singer
Patrice Rushen
Patrice Louise Rushen (born September 30, 1954) is an American jazz pianist and R&B singer. She is also a composer, record producer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and music director.
Her 1982 single "Forget Me Nots" received a Grammy Awar ...
.
Nelms collaborates frequently with
Janelle Monáe
Janelle Monáe Robinson (; born December 1, 1985) is an American singer, rapper and actress. She is signed to Atlantic Records, as well as to her own imprint, the Wondaland Arts Society. Monáe has received eight Grammy Award nominations. Monà ...
, and first worked with her at the 2016
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a permane ...
. She styled Monáe's hair at the 2019
Met Gala
The Met Gala, or Met Ball, formally called the Costume Institute Gala or the Costume Institute Benefit, is an annual fundraising gala held for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute in New York City. It is popularly r ...
and the 2020 Academy Awards. She also styled Monáe's hair for the music video "
Pynk
"Pynk" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Janelle Monáe for her third studio album, ''Dirty Computer'' (2018). It features Canadian art pop musician Grimes and interpolates the song "Pink" by Aerosmith, with members of the ba ...
" in a look with bright pink pompoms attached to a top bun.
Personal life
Nelms resides in
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...