Former YouTube star Niykee Heaton puts a sultry spin on pop music. • The Chicago native began writing music as an escape from a rocky childhood. She trained herself to sing with a Diana Ross greatest-hits CD, since her family couldn’t afford vocal lessons. • Heaton got her start by uploading acoustic covers on YouTube, including a viral version of rapper Chief Keef's "Love Sosa”. • The singer’s 2014 debut EP, Bad Intentions, entered the Top 10 in the iTunes Store. • In 2014, Heaton became one of the first artists to sign with All Def Music, a label founded by Def Jam founder Russell Simmons, entrepreneur Steve Rifkind and film director/producer Brian Robbins. • Heaton scored a gold record in 2016 with her single “Bad Intentions”, featuring Migos.