Who would not like to sound like Elvis? I bet, aside from wishing to look like him, every second guy would want to have that Elvis-like baritone voice that makes girls swoon.

On Elvis’ 89^th birth anniversary which falls on 8^th January 2024, the Indian born Switzerland based Nigel ‘Elvis’ Kingsley pays glowing tribute to Elvis, the King of Rock n Roll through his numerous shows around the world.

Raised by missionaries and raised in a home in Bandra, Mumbai, Nigel started singing while he was in school. Recalling his past Nigel Kingsley - Durham states “I was given away when I was 2 years old, until I was adopted by a kind lady from Bandra Mrs. F.C Durham who inspite of having her own children adopted me and another child. I came to this missionary home and I was moving around with them. I happened to stay a few years in India, where I did my schooling and then visited different countries and finally ended up in Switzerland”.

Nigel’s dive into music actually happened while he was in Mumbai. “I got the runners up in a singing competition at the Andrean Fair in Bandra in 1972. It was the Elvis competition and it was great fun. From then on, it was more like jamming and playing and having a good time in all the private parties I was invited to. I was barely 15 when I started performing, I used to sing gospel and contemporary music all the time and lot of Elvis songs too” says Nigel seated in a hotel suite at a city hotel.

As an adopted child, Nigel always longed to see his biological mother. “I was searching for my real biological mom, I found her in Hawaii and met her there, and it was like two strangers meeting each other. We did not agree to the situation you can say… (pauses) and I got to know that I was the only child. It wasn’t a very happy ending though”.

Finding his roots in Hawaii, the land of song and dance, Nigel left India when he was 21 to pursue a dream as a singer with the advantage of looking and sounding like Elvis. “I moved from Hawaii a while later and settled in Switzerland where I got a job with Swissair. I worked there for 15 years at the same time doing my Elvis shows”.

Nigel who sings and plays the keyboard, is not an impersonator of the King of Rock and Roll, rather he is a look alike and sound alike Elvis singer. He is the classy and flashy best of Elvis. His slick style, his sparkle, his hair and his rings emote everything Elvis. Even his jumpsuit is a perfect replica of Elvis's “Aloha Eagle Jumpsuit” that Elvis wore in the Aloha show which was televised all around the world. It's incredible as to how confidently he performs on stage,, not forgetting, the signing of autographs offstage, putting scarves on young girls, gifting roses and throwing a teddy bear into the crowd.

“I sing all Elvis’ popular songs, I have a normal 5 piece band and a 16 piece band with all brass section, but sometimes I do hire professional local bands. We gel well because Elvis’ songs are simple and easy”.

Nigel is the only Elvis tribute act from India to be recognized on the world stage. He is also a member of the Elvis Presley Impersonators’ International Association (EPIIA) and recognized worldwide.

Elvis had a lot of cars and bikes in his collection, Nigel is not far behind. At his beautiful home in the small picturesque village of Mellikon, near Zurich, he has a 1959 Cadillac Oldsmobile Dynamic 88, Chevrolet Impala 1959, to Cadillac Fleetwood and Cadillac Series 62 and bikes. Nigel’s luxury car range is impressive the reason being that Elvis never had this collection. “Elvis never had this car collection, as he was in the army. So he wasn’t around for that time and I managed to source these vintage cars which I now rent out for Elvis themed weddings and film shootings” he states proudly.

Nigel has visited the birthplace of Elvis - Tupelo many times while he has visited Graceland 26 times and has also had the opportunity to meet up with Elvis’ wife Pricilla and their daughter Lisa. “It was before the pandemic. I was on a Mediterranean cruise ship where we were like 5,000 passengers. A lot of us were Elvis fans and impersonators and Priscilla (Presley) was on board. We met and talked to her, got some photographs too. I met Lisa in Graceland, but that was many years ago”.

So surely he might be having some rare memorabilia of the King. He blurts out, “I’ve got a ticket of his last concert, the original one. I also have the belt which I wear for my show which is signed by Mike McGregor who used to look after Elvis’ horses. McGregor used to do the leather work and gold work. So I got my TCB (Taking Care of Business) in a flash sign ring which is a solid one in real gold and the diamond copy I guess. He made one for Elvis and he made one for me. When you hold it in your hand it's like ….whoa. I also got a TCB chain from Elvis which is a one piece with the chain. You also get one where the chain goes through a ring, those are not original. This one which I have is original”.

Nigel who has performed in over 53 countries also has a few 100 LP records of Elvis and about 25 of them in shellac, which he says are very expensive.

Nigel visits Mumbai with his wife once or twice a year for private shows and sometimes to holiday in Goa. He misses the bhel puri, pani puri and the ghanna (sugarcane) juice. “I miss this the most and also my friends who I grew up with” he shares nostalgically.

Despite having 3 heart attacks in 2020, Nigel is not slowing down as he says he has a mission to accomplish - that of paying tribute to Elvis till he can. On a concert tour of the Philippines in July last year, Nigel had a near fatal fall from the 2^nd floor from the hotel he was staying in. Believe it or not, despite multiple fractures, broken ribs, by November last year he was already walking, initially with a walker and now all by himself. What’s more, he’s started singing again and is once again the crowd favorite at the various venues in performs in back home in Zurich. This past Christmas, his Facebook page is full of Gospel and Christmas live performances and partying, that he’s so well known for. Talk about will power, and Nigel has loads of it.

It is an undeniable fact that Nigel considers music his gift, through which he can give people his message and also entertain them with songs of Elvis. Performing in Las Vegas for six years, numerous awards bestowed on him, and being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995, Nigel’s work speaks for itself. “My aim in life was never ever to sound like Elvis. I can’t change the look, it’s there, its god given, but the sound, I prefer to do a tribute to Elvis and that’s why we’re called Elvis tribute artists. It doesn't matter what you sound like, but you got to give him a tribute. A Chinese guy can give him a tribute in his own accent (mimics the song Blue Suede Shoes the way a Chinese would sing it in English). For me it’s not important, but for lot of people it's important to sound like Elvis and look like him” says Nigel adding, “You hear my voice and maybe it doesn't sound like Elvis, but I can sing Elvis songs and give you that experience. It’s just about keeping the legacy going” he signs off.

Interview and Photos: Verus Ferreira