With a vocal style influenced by the likes of Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Loreena McKennit, and Pamela Morgan, Nicki Maher’s folk-inspired melodies fuse with inventive clarinet playing inflected with Greek and Turkish accents. Exploring her rawest emotions and most vulnerable experiences, Nicki’s songs are a celebration of all parts of herself. Finding joy in sorrow, and the sorrow in joy, her reflective lyrics explore the mystery of this dream we call life.
During her early twenties, a musical pilgrimage took Nicki to Greece and Turkey, where she immersed herself in the local styles of clarinet playing. Under the guidance of esteemed musicians (Selim Sesler, Serkan Çağrı, and the musicians of Parakalamos in Greece), she delved into the intricacies of these distinct musical cultures, incorporating their essence into her own artistry. Her technique, honed through years of dedication and study, seamlessly merges her Western training with the rich traditions of these lands.