Q: What is your process for creating music?

When writing pop songs, a melody line is usually the first thing that sort of “appears” in my head. I have chromesthesia (the experience of colors/shapes when hearing music) and basically a visual forms in my head for songs as they begin to take shape. I try to manifest that vision in the music as I write chords, structure, and production arrangements. For tv and film cues, I listen to the director’s notes on the “vibe” they are looking for and I do the same thing – create a picture of colors and shapes in my mind that fit the mood, and build it in the sonic realm through the music.

Q: Where can your music be found?

All Hooked Like Helen music is on all the major streaming/download platforms: Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon, Youtube etc etc. We also have hookedlikehelen.com with links to all our songs. And of course, we’re on social media, Instagram, FB, Twitter, even Tik Tok haha. You can find some of my instrumental work on all the streaming platforms as well under “Nikki Stipp”.

Q: What has been a career highlight for you thus far?

Shooting our music video for the song “Liar” in Bucharest, Romania was an absolute dream. We had an amazing team and the location was a stunning Gothic mansion in downtown Bucharest. We were able to tour the city during our trip and the food and culture were amazing!

Q: What’s next for you?

Currently, we are working on a new Hooked Like Helen EP for release this summer. We’re completely self-producing this time and really digging deep for this one haha. I think it will be our best work as a band thus far. We plan to tour in late summer/early fall and can’t wait for the world to open back up safely!

Q: When did you know that music was your future career?

I was 11 when I realized that writing music was all I ever wanted to do. I tracked my first demos on a cassette-playing Karaoke machine! In high school, the band director allowed me to use the school’s small Pro Tools set up during my open period. I had no idea what I was doing but I ending up recording like 5 demo songs in there that I took to the local SCV studio called Command Audio and I began working with other local artists.

Q: How has being a woman affected your career?

Being a woman in almost any industry has unique challenges, I think that’s a given. For me in music, being female has been a great obstacle to overcome. I have an incredible amount of respect for any woman in music – we’re often dismissed, diminished, belittled, underestimated, and harassed. We’re underrepresented due to systemic sexism beginning the day we’re born. I’m kind of passionate about the subject if you can’t tell, haha. I’m happy to see the opening up of dialog about sexism in the music industry and I’m loving the movement for females to support one another in our careers!

Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
My family is my husband, Jon, my 7-year-old son, Augie, my mom Suzanne, and my brother and sister Michael and Arielle.

Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
Music. I have a background in the restaurant business, including owning and operating a small bar in the music college town of Oberlin, OH. Although I loved my time serving the community of Oberlin, selling the business during the pandemic shut-down has proven to be an incredible blessing for us. Being able to focus entirely on my art and my passion has been amazing. The best thing about being a musician is connecting with people from all over the world through my songs. Sharing my personal experience through art, and finding that it has in some way comforted total strangers is just an incredible feeling.

Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
I was a huge fan of Sisley Italian Kitchen (and a former employee) before they shut their doors. I love Salt Creek Grille, Saugus Cafe, Final Score, Egg Plantation…getting hungry.

Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
I lived my entire childhood in Canyon Country and most of my 20s in Newhall and Valencia. SCV will always be home no matter where I venture.

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
Disneyland. Always Disneyland. 🙂

Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
Terminator 2. Breaking Bad.

Q: What advice would you give to people?
My advice is don’t sell yourself short. Don’t underestimate yourself, even if you’re faced with doing things you’ve never tried to do. Also, no one else is ever going to care as much about your project as you are, so the more you can do on your own, the better. Kind of isolationist of me, but it works, especially in the music industry.

Q: What is something on your bucket list?
Shark diving. I want to get in the cage and see the Great Whites close up! Just waiting for my son to be old enough so we can all go together!

Q: What is your go-to band when you can’t decide what to listen to?
Run The Jewels, Glass Animals, Billie Eilish.

Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
Although it’s not here anymore, Sisley’s restaurant in the mall. We miss that place!!!

Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My son. Period.

Q: What is one or two of your favorite smells?
Rose. and Love Spell by Victoria’s Secret from like 1000 years ago.