NIKI has at last arrived with her debut album Moonchild, a full-length offering reflective of the Indonesian vocalist/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist's growth and abilities.
Divided into sections, the 10-track concept album feels almost like an audiobook that NIKI's soothing voice is reading to us as she weaves tales informed by the phasing moon. Even when it feels eclectic at times, Moonchild never deviates too far from its intended message or main goal. When talking about how she came up with the name of the album and its themes, NIKI described how she usually finds her musical inspiration in the late nights.
"The word 'Moonchild' came to me when I was going through a phase of staying up at ungodly hours of the night strictly to write music,” NIKI explained. “I realized how much more energized and stimulated I felt at night compared to the day, and I referred to myself as a 'child of the moon' because of it. I began imagining an entire, fictional universe in my head. Bringing those stories to life was a rollercoaster! I let go of any and all preconceived notions, rules and limitations I felt bound to and let my creativity take the wheel in any direction. You wouldn't believe the mental gymnastics I put myself through to get this album to where it is now.”
When talking about how the album is different from her short-form projects, NIKI said, "My prior works were about love and youth, this album is very much rooted in self. It's essentially a musical parable about growth, which is fitting because that's exactly what happened to me whilst making it. It was without a doubt the most challenging project I've ever worked on, but I wouldn't trade the experience for the world!”
Listen to NIKI's debut album Moonchild below.
