He graduated from pop Branch (class composer Igor Yakushenko) of the Moscow Institute of Culture.

In the early 1980s he worked in the ensemble "Recital" of Alla Pugacheva on keyboard and as an arranger.

He has a daughter Veronika Igorevna Nikolaeva from his second marriage with singer Yulia Proskuryakova, who in 2021 started a scandal with insults to people who occupied her parking space for cars.

[2] His solo career as a singer began in 1986, his debut in that capacity was the song "Mill".

Igor Nikolaev – holds the prestigious music awards: "Ovation-92" – for the album "Dolphin and mermaid", "Ovation-95" – in the nomination composer year, "Ovation-97" – in the nomination poet year, "Ovation-99" – in the nomination composer year, "Song-99" – for his outstanding contribution to the development of songs (aide Prize Isaak Dunayevsky), "Golden Gramophone Award-2001" – for the song "Five Reasons", "Best composer in 2002" – prize of the festival "Pesnya Goda".