Baker Artist Portfolios

Hi, my name is KNIKA.

I’m a singer-songwriter, performer, producer, and artivist, and for more than 30 years I’ve been building a career at the intersection of music, performance, and social impact.

I didn’t come into this work chasing trends. I came into it learning how to hold a room, lead a band, and move an audience—first as the longtime front woman of a rock/ska band, and later as a solo artist creating music with a message you can dance to. Those years taught me endurance, collaboration, and leadership, and shaped the artist I’ve become: grounded, intentional, and unapologetic about my voice.

As a recording artist, my breakout single It’s My Body charted #28 on iTunes and #6 on Amazon Music, earning international radio play and press attention in the U.S. and UK. Its bold political messaging led to performances commemorating the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, including a televised appearance introduced by U.S. Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester. I’ve also been honored as a finalist in both the Songs For Good National Songwriting Competition and the Billie Holiday Vocal Competition, affirming my work as both a vocalist and songwriter.

For Songs For Good, I co-wrote an original piece with my longtime songwriting partner and husband to support youth-led social protest movements and encourage young people to register to vote during the pivotal 2020 election cycle. The song took on a life beyond the stage, becoming one of the top sounds used on TikTok at the time and being picked up by creators and public figures—proof that music can inspire both feeling and action.

Live performance has always been central to my work. I’ve shared stages with artists such as Chaka Khan, Fantasia, George Clinton, KEM, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Keke Wyatt, The Wailers, and Bad Brains, and have opened for legacy acts including The Toasters. My performance history spans major venues and festivals, including most recently the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C., as well as Baltimore Center Stage, the Congressional Black Caucus, Artscape, Ladybug Festival, the International Ska Festival, and the African American Heritage Festival. I regularly perform for audiences ranging from intimate rooms to crowds of 5,000 and beyond.

I spent over a decade as the front woman of the rock/ska band The Upstarters, honing my performance stamina, leadership, and collaborative artistry. That foundation continues to inform the discipline, presence, and connection I bring to my solo work today.

As a multidimensional entertainer, my creative practice extends beyond music into theater and media. I debuted my original one-woman show Songs in the Key of Revolution at Baltimore Center Stage, blending live music, storytelling, and social commentary. I’ve also performed in ensemble productions with Dance and Bmore Live, participating in Broadway-inspired musical works that expanded my range across music, movement, and narrative.

I’m the creator and host of The Talk Lounge, a pioneering talk show filmed with a live studio audience and debuted at the historic Belvedere Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland. Long before singer-hosted talk shows became mainstream, I positioned myself as a multidimensional entertainer—hosting, performing, and bringing humor and music together in culturally relevant conversation.

The Talk Lounge aired on the Mayor’s Cable Network (TV25) and public access stations throughout Maryland, expanded to broadcast markets in Atlanta and Florida, and later moved to commercial television on Fox 45 and This TV. I later co-hosted That’s the Reality of It, and went on to produce and host Indie TV Live, a nationally distributed variety series spotlighting independent artists across genres, airing on Roku, Amazon Prime, and Apple TV.

At the core of my work is a woman-centered lens rooted in everyday lived experience. I write about self-worth, choice, relationships, and expectations. My music reflects the realities women navigate every day, creating space to feel seen, affirmed, and less alone in their experiences.

Looking ahead, I’m energized by this next chapter—building work and curating spaces where music sparks connection, performance opens dialogue, and people come together around shared experience.