FILIPINOS won’t be saying See U Never to Indonesian singer-songwriter Nicole Zefanya, better known as NIKI, as she will be making a comeback show on the Philippine concert stage.
The US-based songstress will be staging a concert on September 13 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena as part of her The Nicole World Tour.
“Cat’s outta the bag, I guess, but we’re goin back on tour all over the world this year!” NIKI wrote in a tweet.
“I cannot wait to see your lovely faces again,” she added.
Aside from Manila, she will also be visiting other Asian cities, including Bangkok, Singapore, and Jakarta.
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The concert announcement came after the singer surprised her fans with the release of the widely anticipated music video for her song Backburner.
Additional concert details including ticket prices and seat tiers are yet to be announced, while ticket sales will begin on Thursday, May 18, according to her label, 88rising.
The Nicole World Tour will mark the Every Summertime hitmaker’s second show in the country. She was part of the Head In The Clouds Manila lineup in December 2022 along with fellow 88rising artists Joji, Rich Brian, Jackson Wang, and Filipina singer-actress Ylona Garcia, among others.
NIKI on the rise
NIKI is a singer, songwriter, and record producer who is part of the music collective 88rising.
When she was 15, she won a contest held by a popular ice cream brand that let her perform as an opening act during Taylor Swift’s Red Tour in her hometown of Jakarta, Indonesia. This was all thanks to her cover of the American pop superstar’s single 22.
In an interview with Harper’s BAZAAR, the Los Angeles-based singer said she started uploading song covers on social media platforms Instagram and YouTube after opening for Swift’s concert.
Aside from covers, she also uploaded her original songs in her channel, including one of her popular songs See U Never.
NIKI wrote the song before entering college and sent the demo to fellow Indonesian singer and label mate Rich Brian. This was also what led her into signing a contract with 88rising.
It turns out that Rich Brian showed the demo to the label’s CEO Sean Miyashiro, who would later become NIKI’s manager.
In 2017, she signed with 88rising and released her debut single I Like U, which was followed by several more successful singles and an extended play (EP) titled Zephyr in 2018.
The singer-songwriter released several more albums including MOONCHILD and Nicole in 2020 and 2022, respectively.
Every Summertime on Marvel
Niki’s music is known for its unique blend of pop, R&B, and electronic music, and she has been praised for her distinctive vocal style and introspective lyrics.
Some of her most popular songs include La La Lost You, Lose, Oceans and Engine, Indigo, and Lowkey.
Her peppy and soulful smash hit Every Summertime, which became a viral song on TikTok, was also chosen to be the lead single for Marvel’s epic 2021 action film Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings.
The song is a wistful and nostalgic track that captures the essence of summer romance and the ecstasy that comes from loving a person for a long time.
What keeps NIKI going
Growing up, NIKI said she had no one to look up to in the music industry because there were no prominent Asian artists present during that time.
This inspired her to represent the Asian community in the international music scene.
“I never really felt like there was anybody who looked like me, who correctly represented me, and so I just feel like I want to be that for little kids that look like me, talk like me, or are from my hometown,” said NIKI in an interview.
NIKi also said in a separate interview that what keeps her head above the water are those little girls she represents.
“I received an overwhelming amount of responses just saying, like, ‘Hey, thanks for representing me, and my face, and what I look like, and my story.’ That was what kept me going,” she said.
“I need to do this for all the girls that look like me, all the kids that look like me that want to do what I want to do,” she added.
She also expressed her desire to see more Asians to emerge and succeed in the entertainment industry, and for children to be proud of their Asian heritage.
“I just want kids to be proud. Honestly, that’s it. And I want to see more Asians on-screen, and Asians in entertainment. I want to see an Asian win a Grammy. Hopefully [it’s] one of us,” said NIKI.
Courtesy: NIKI on Instagram (@nikizefanya)
