NIKI unveils new single and video ‘Before’
OFF FORTHCOMING NICOLE LP OUT VIA 88RISING
| PRAISE FOR NIKI “While NIKI has gained an international following for her down-to-earth songs and social-media presence, the singer is taking things to another world with her debut album” Forbes “She’s proven herself to be an imaginative and essential artist whose tracks lift you off into new worlds with each listen” NME Magazine “NIKI’s debut album Moonchild is a world of her own creation” W Magazine “NIKI’s sound is more established, leaning on the quippy lyrical intimacy of an artist like Julia Michaels and a Billie Eilish-esque soprano waver” Teen Vogue |
Today, Jakarta-born, LA-based singer-songwriter, and producer NIKI unveils her new single and accompanying video for ‘Before’. The track is the first single from her forthcoming album Nicole.NIKI first announced the album on her social media pages earlier this week. LISTEN + WATCH HERE.
The reflective record is tinged with nostalgia and sees NIKI yearning for a past relationship that has come to an end and grappling with navigating her feelings and how to let go. The reverb-drenched and scaled-back production of the track highlights NIKI’s lyrical ability to evoke strong emotions and sentimentality through her music.
‘Before’ continues to see NIKI shine revisiting her singer/songwriter roots through her genuine storytelling as seen on previous singles like ‘Split’ released late last year. In the accompanying music video, NIKI flies across the globe to the United States in an attempt to rekindle a relationship, but something feels amiss. The video is directed by Isaac Ravishankara and stars Indonesian-American actor Peter Adrian Sudarso opposite NIKI.
On the track, NIKI says “’Before’ is the irresolute ending to my very first love story. I wrote it as a means to create the kind of closure I never had. I also feel it’s ironically poetic to open this new chapter by telling you how it ends first. I’m so proud of it, and I can’t think of a better song to introduce the ultimate break-up record I’ve always fantasised of putting out but somehow haven’t…until now.”
The release of ‘Before’ comes fresh off the heels of NIKI’s unforgettable performance at Coachella in April, where she became the first Indonesian artist to ever perform at the festival, alongside Rich Brian. NIKI will follow up her Coachella appearance with a performance at 88rising’s 2022 Head in the Clouds Festival this August at Brookside at the Rose Bowl. NIKI previously performed at the 2021 Head in the Clouds Festival last November with a striking set that received acclaim from MTV, Flaunt, and The AV Club who hailed her a “goddamn superstar.” Watch her full performance at the festival HERE.
Most recently, 88rising and NIKI collaborated with Honda on a new docu-series that captured her journey to Coachella, storying her time leading up to her dazzling performance. 88rising is the first Asian music media partner to collaborate with Honda on their music program. The docu-series presented by Honda highlighted various firsts for NIKI – from chronicling her first Coachella performance to watching her journey in her first car, a 2022 Honda CR-V Hybrid, capturing this full circle moment – all while celebrating her Indonesian heritage, as both episodes were released last month during AAPI Month. Watch episode 1 HERE and episode 2 HERE.
‘Before‘ is out now via 88rising
buy/stream it here.
Stay connected with NIKI:
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok
| ABOUT NIKI With over 1.8 BILLION+ streams to date, 23-year-old NIKI has slammed the door on the conventions of pop stardom—writing, recording, and producing her music on her own. Born in Jakarta and based in Los Angeles, NIKI has captured the attention of audiences around the world, earning praise from Billboard “as one of the brightest rising stars.” Earning wide critical acclaim since her breakthrough EP, Zephyr, and her debut album, MOONCHILD, NIKI has cultivated fans around the globe with her expressive voice, personal songwriting and genre-blurring artistry, becoming a vibrant symbol of – and an advocate for – a generation of Asian musical artists. NIKI’s debut album MOONCHILD was released on September 10, 2020 and currently has over 172M streams to date. Complex called MOONCHILD “a full-length offering reflective of the Indonesian vocalist/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist growth and abilities.” i-D shared that NIKI’s storytelling on MOONCHILD was “something we can only aspire to do.” To date, NIKI has garnered over 1.8 B+ streams and received praises from outlets like Harper’s BAZAAR, Forbes, Teen Vogue, Hypebae, and more. Most recently, NIKI’s song ‘Every Summertime’ which appeared on the Marvel, Shang-Chi Legend of The Legend Ten Rings Official Soundtrack landed on Spotify’s Today’s Top Hits and Pop Rising amongst others and has been streamed over 200 million times worldwide. She was also the first Indonesian artist, alongside Rich Brian to ever take the stage at Coachella. She is also currently the face of the Guess Originals Spring campaign. With her Indonesian heritage essential to her story, she feels “a social responsibility representing Asian artists, especially as a role model for girls.” For aspiring Asian and Asian American talents aiming to break cultural norms and overcome music industry under-representation, NIKI proves that the highest dreams are indeed within reach. |