Nicki met pop icons at top music fest

Jul 1 2009 by Richard Mooney, Wishaw Press

WISHAW’S very own star-in-the-making Nicki Paton has gone from a girl who used to flip burgers in McDonalds to rubbing shoulders with pop icons like Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen and the Kings of Leon.

Since Wishaw Press told about the 23-year-old’s life-changing meeting with Britney Spear’s tour organiser, Simon Ellis, Nicki has had a whirlwind four weeks.

Nicki, a former pupil of Clyde Valley High School, Overtown, has been in nearly every major national newspaper; is in talks for an American promotional tour – and might even support Britney Spears in Europe later this month.

She has been living out a suitcase in a London hotel while doing promotional work for her single Unspeakable – in stores now – and still can’t believe everything that has happened.

She said: “It is all so surreal. I have not had time to sit down and take it all in. It was a bit strange being home yesterday (Sunday) and driving about the town and then I’m away again on Tuesday.

“I had all these media interviews set up but, because of Michael Jackson’s death, we had to reschedule everything for next week. London’s a totally different place from Wishaw. It’s so exciting, but it’s hard for a girl to live out of a suitcase!”

Nicki was at Glastonbury music festival at the weekend and mixed with some of the biggest musical acts on the planet. She said: “I got to meet Bruce Springsteen. I also managed to meet Lady Gaga, the Script and the Kings of Leon. I had this image built up of what they were all going to be like, but at the end of the day they were just normal people.

“They took time to speak to me, which was incredible. It’s all a blur now as we were in such a rush. They were asking when my song was out and I said to them ‘please download it’ and asked them to mention me in interviews.”

She added: “I really enjoyed meeting the Script, but that’s just because I really like their lead singer. Lady Gaga was also amazing and I was really pleased to meet her.

“The death of Michael Jackson put a dampener on the weekend at Glastonbury and a lot of people were clearly upset by it. I listened to Michael’s songs when I was growing up, so it was sad to hear he had died.”

Nicki’s dream of performing with Britney Spears may soon become a reality as negotiations are on-going to secure the Wishaw songstress as a support act for the European leg of the pop juggernaut’s world tour.

She said: “If I got to support Britney I’d be very happy.

“I’m still quite down-to-earth about it because there’s still a chance it may not happen.

“I think there is more pressure on now because I have been in the newspapers and people are watching me to see what happens – but if I let that get to me I’d have a nervous breakdown.

She added: “At the end of the day you just go out and do what you’ve got to do and that’s it.”

Nicki’s debut single, Unspeakable, is available now in music stores nationwide.

l Visit www.nickipaton.com to download the song.