A letter to my former self: Pagan's Nikki Brumen

3 April 2019 | 2:20 pm | Alex Sievers
Originally Appeared In

"You have to rise above and remember the feeling you have now, the feeling of being part of a minority..."

Dreams are funny things, aren't they? For some of us, we simply put them off for a lifetime in order to be more pragmatic with our limited time and energy. For others, it's the only thing that keeps them going; it's the goal they strive for daily. For Pagan's passionate and wild vocalist, Nikki Brumen, she put off her dream of fronting a heavy band for quite some time. However, with the killer blackened hardcore-punk music that she and Pagan put forward, like on last year's awesome 'Black Wash' LP, she's making more than good on the dreams she had when she was younger with Pagan. From covering her bedroom walls with posters of bands she loved, to fronting a fearsome Aussie act, touring the nation and going overseas, Nikki speaks to her past self about just how far she's come. 



"Dear Nikki,

You’re probably in your bedroom right now listening to Refused or The Sex Pistols, so I am sorry to interrupt you with this letter.

Now that I have your attention, please take a look around your room and look at the posters that cover your walls and ceiling. You are probably not going to believe me, but when you are a little bit older, your future will be similar to the bands you are currently looking at. You are going to be the front person for a hardcore band, your band will release an album, go on tour around Australia (and overseas!), and you are going to play a bunch of festivals with some of your favourite bands.

I am writing to you because I know you are going to have a hard time starting your career in music. You are going to put it off for many years, even though your dream has always been fronting a band. You are going to be really scared of getting on stage for the first time - because there are so many men in the scene. You are going to be terrified that you won’t be taken seriously by some people and patronised and unfortunately you will be. But you have to keep going - you have to rise above and remember the feeling you have now, the feeling of being part of a minority and wanting to make a change.

You will love fronting a band and getting to play music all of the world with your three best friends.

Love,

Nikki x"



PAGAN

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Thursday April 18

Crown and Anchor, Adelaide

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