From Outsider to an Icon: Nikki Simpson's Story

In this raw and unfiltered interview, Nikki Simpson opens up about what it truly means to build a life around tattooing. She takes us through her early struggles. You’ll hear how she pushed through slammed doors, learned to hold her own in rooms full of older men, and kept chasing the one thing that made her feel alive: tattooing. When Ink Master came knocking, Nikki was hesitant. But what started as a gamble turned into a whirlwind-bringing both national recognition and a new layer of pressure. Through her time on reality TV and the spin-off Ink Master Angels, she discovered just how vulnerable artists become in front of the world. This interview also dives deep into the parts most artists don’t talk about. What it’s like to lose your creative spark. What changes when you become a mentor. How it feels to carry other artists’ hopes while trying to rediscover your own. Now running her own studio in Brooklyn, Nikki reflects on what success really looks like, and it’s being able to say, “I did it my way, and I never stopped evolving.” 🎙️ Watch more interviews with artists shaping the future of tattooing. 📲 Follow us for more: 🎵 TikTok: @freshlyinkedmagazine 📸 Instagram: @freshlyinkedmagazine 🌐 Website: freshlyinkedmag.com - 00:00 – Nikki’s beginnings and the pull of tattoo culture 02:15 – Getting into shops, rejection, and early lessons 05:30 – Saying yes to Ink Master and what came after 08:45 – The hard truth of owning a studio 11:20 – Burnout, social media, and stepping back 13:50 – Finding meaning in mentorship 16:10 – Handling hate, scrutiny, and online perception 18:35 – Letting go of the plan and listening to herself 20:00 – Legacy, impact, and the women who follow