NEW ALBUM BUZZ OUT AUGUST 9
“Something NIKI does really well is get to the emotional heart of the matter.”
– NPR
“NIKI has returned with a gorgeous piece of folk-pop that’s wise beyond its years.”
– PAPER
“a sonic time capsule of a breakup album that explores heartache in perhaps its most devastating form”
– Vanity Fair
“NIKI has gone from self-made YouTube artist to a history-making star.”
– GRAMMY.com
Jakarta-born, LA-based singer-songwriter NIKI has released a new single titled “Blue Moon,” following the announcement of her upcoming album Buzz, set to drop on August 9 via 88rising. This release comes after her flirtatious lead single, “Too Much Of A Good Thing.”
“Blue Moon” was written by NIKI during her 2023 Nicole World Tour, inspired by the sudden end of a four-year relationship that once felt like home. In astrology, a Blue Moon is a rare event often associated with heightened clarity. NIKI channels this energy to share her experience with raw vulnerability and openness.
“I wrote ‘Blue Moon’ lamenting the slow, then sudden demise of a truly significant relationship,” NIKI explains. “It’s about the deepest and rarest of loves we might stumble upon (once in the bluest of moons, if we’re lucky), and then realizing we’d stumbled upon it too early for it to stand a chance. It’s that classic trope of right person, wrong time.”
Co-produced with her close friend and collaborator Ethan Gruska, “Blue Moon” features NIKI on vocals, drums, guitar, and piano. The track also includes a heart-wrenching string arrangement by legendary multi-instrumentalist Rob Moose, known for his work with Bon Iver, The National, St. Vincent, and many more.
The accompanying music video, directed by Ivana Bobic, merges the moody undertones of NIKI’s lyrics with a scene reminiscent of the flying house in The Wizard of Oz. While writing the song, NIKI envisioned “the cruelest cyclone” from the classic film, symbolizing the chaotic upheaval in her relationship.
NIKI recently performed the album’s lead single, “Too Much of a Good Thing,” on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO “BLUE MOON”
CLICK HERE TO PRE-SAVE/PRE-ORDER BUZZ
To celebrate her upcoming album, NIKI will embark on her largest tour yet, covering 41 markets across North America, Europe, the UK, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. For a complete list of tour dates and ticket information HERE.
Buzz, the third studio album by globally-renowned singer-songwriter NIKI, began with a seismic shift from deep within her soul. What emerged was a collection of soulful folk-rock songs that glow and flicker like a bonfire among close friends. “I went through an identity crisis,” says the 25-year-old of Buzz. “It was a journey of trial and error, discovering different parts of myself along the way. I named it Buzz because it feels like I’m on the brink of something significant.”
NIKI’s journey began in Jakarta, Indonesia, where as a high school student at an international academy, she penned lovesick poems in English class and performed acoustic covers of American pop songs on YouTube. Armed with her six-string guitar and cheered on by family and classmates, Nicole Zefanya claimed her place in the global spotlight as NIKI.
And claim it she did—with over three billion streams worldwide, sold-out shows across continents, performances at major festivals, front row seats at Paris Fashion Week, contributions to a Marvel film soundtrack, and some of the most compelling, heartfelt songs of 2024, NIKI has built a veteran’s career before turning 25.
On Buzz, NIKI’s songwriting remains deeply personal and intimate. Drawing inspiration from trailblazing women known for their honest lyricism and guitar-driven soundscapes, she cites Joni Mitchell as her guiding light, alongside feminist icons like Stevie Nicks, Carly Simon, and Liz Phair. NIKI’s approach to guitar on Buzz mirrors its exploratory spirit, reflecting her personal growth.
To enhance this creative journey, NIKI collaborated with producers who had worked with her favorite contemporary singer-songwriters. She enlisted Tyler Chester, known for his work with Madison Cunningham and Sara Bareilles, and Ethan Gruska, who counts Fiona Apple and Phoebe Bridgers among his collaborators.
Buzz resonates with the hard-won wisdom of a young woman fearlessly chasing her dreams, yet still able to find humor in her missteps along the way.
