“If American pop is the musical language that speaks to the world, NIKI finds her Indonesian roots in it, and enjoys performing for Asian and Asian American audiences who thank her for speaking for them.”
By The New York Times
“If NIKI’s previous album, Nicole, was a moody, pop album where she bottled up her emotions, her new album, Buzz, is where she lets it all out.”
By NPR
“Buzz feels familiar yet fresh, a comfortable embrace wrapped in the excitement of new possibilities.”
By Dork
“The leading lady of 88rising is in the midst of preparing her long-awaited new album”
by UPROXX
Jakarta-born, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter and producer NIKI has released his new album, Buzz, on 88rising, establishing himself as one of the most powerful and influential artists of today. To coincide with the release of the album, he has released the music video for the title track, Buzz. Directed by Isaac Ravishankara (Kesha, Finneas), the video humorously depicts every line of the lyrics, capturing the raw excitement and bittersweet tension of a budding romance. The buzzing of bees, the snapping of guitar amps, the mutual gazes of two people, all herald a new beginning.
NIKI – Buzz (Official Music Video)
She initially thought of naming the album after the new shoots that emerge every spring. The 13 tracks on Buzz capture her sense of being on the brink of something yet to be discovered. The album already features the summery love song “Tsunami,” the astrology-inspired “Blue Moon,” and the seductive lead single “Too Much Of A Good Thing.” From September through March next year, she will embark on a major world tour produced by Live Nation.
Singer-songwriter and international star NIKI began writing her third album, Buzz, with an intense urge from deep within her soul. The result is a collection of stirring folk-rock songs that crackle and burn like a campfire among close friends. “I was having an identity crisis,” the 25-year-old says of the album. “There was a lot of trial and error and I discovered different parts of myself along the way. I felt like I was on the brink of something really happening, that’s why I named it Buzz.”
Things have been changing for NIKI since her high school days in Jakarta, Indonesia. As a student at the International Academy, she wrote poems about lovesickness in English class and covered American pop songs on YouTube with an acoustic guitar. With her six-string guitar in hand, she performed in front of her family and classmates, and was cheered on by them. Nicole Zefanya became NIKI and achieved global stardom. With over 3 billion streams worldwide, sold-out shows on multiple continents, big stages at festivals around the world, the front row at Paris Fashion Week, four songs on the soundtrack to a Marvel movie, and a string of confessional songs to be released in 2024, NIKI has already built a career that rivals that of veteran artists before she turns 25.
Her songwriting on her new album, Buzz, is more intimate than ever. In early song sketches, she penned confessional, sincere lyrics and drew inspiration from pioneering female artists of the past. “Joni Mitchell was like a North Star for my songwriting,” she said, naming Stevie Nicks, Carly Simon and Liz Phair as notable uncompromising feminists. She developed her own bouncy guitar playing style to match the nomadic spirit of Buzz. To harness this creative and personal growth, she approached producers who have worked with some of her favorite contemporary singer-songwriters, including Tyler Chester, who has worked with Madison Cunningham and Sara Bareilles, and Ethan Gruska, collaborator with Fiona Apple and Phoebe Bridgers.
The album “Buzz” resonates with the intelligence cultivated by NIKI, a young woman who boldly pursues her dreams and laughes off any setbacks she may encounter.
[About NIKI]
A singer-songwriter and producer from Indonesia. Influenced by 90s R&B/Neo Soul since childhood, he started posting cover songs on YouTube in the mid-2010s. In 2017, he gained fame with the viral hit “I Like U” posted on YouTube. In 2018, he was featured on Rich Brian’s song “Little Prince” from 88rising and was the opening act for his Australia and New Zealand tour. In 2020, he released his debut album “MOONCHILD”. In the same year, he was selected for “Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia”. He is currently based in the United States.
[About 88rising]
88rising is a US-based music label and media platform founded by Shawn Miyashiro in 2015. Its diverse activities include music production, live event hosting, music video production, and digital media management, and it supports Asian artists and creators, promoting their talents worldwide. Its YouTube channel has over 6 million subscribers.
[Release Information]
NIKI
New album “Buzz” now available
Label: 88rising Music
Streaming link:https://niki.lnk.to/Buzz
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Headquartered in New York, the company provides multifaceted support to artists in over 45 markets around the world to help them succeed globally and maximize their potential.
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