The Indonesian heartthrob with a soulful chorus.
By Anis Nadhirah
From one album and one voice, you’re able to experience an endless amount of stories about self-love, beginnings and changes in life. Just like the moon, this music artist glows and lights your way during the darkest hours.
NIKI is a 22-year-old Indonesian singer who made her first appearance as the opening act for Taylor Swift’s The Red Tour in Jakarta back in 2014. On YouTube, she shared a mix of covers and original songs that garnered the attention of thousands of listeners.
Through her songs and features, she seeks to empower young Asian artists who are under-represented in the American music community. Even though she was dubbed as an “R&B Princess”, it didn’t stop her from experimenting with different styles of music.
Her latest album, Moonchild, was released in September 2020 after filling each song with care and thought. In line with the 2020 Christmas holidays, she also released a single titled “Hallway Weather” which warmed the hearts of many left alone during the winter break.
Personally, there are a couple songs from NIKI that I always go to when I open my Spotify. Short throwback to her song “Around” from her Zephyr EP in 2018, which is a slow song that rips your heart out with emotions – even the me who is single from birth, felt the pain (cue the typical staring out the window as I watch the rain fall.)
From her album Moonchild, my most repeated song was “Plot Twist”. In comparison to my previous recommendation, this song’s a little more upbeat – both the melody and the lyrics. It talks about an unexpected meeting and if you come across this while listening to the whole album, the placement is everything – it serves as a healing point after the tragicness of “Lose”.
If you’re looking to diversify your playlist, check out her latest album, Moonchild, and her past songs on Spotify or YouTube. You can even find her in some 88rising tracks where she’s featured with fellow singers Rich Brian, Phum Viphurit and Joji. Don’t forget to check out her social media accounts @nikizefanya on Instagram, Twitter and more.