After emerging in 2022 with two singles that channelled the likes of Alison Wonderland and Vera Blue, indietronica pop artist Nikkita showcases a more sombre, poignant side to her artistry with her newest single, 'Horizon'.
A cinematic piano loop breathes life into a washed-out folktronica soundscape before Nikkita's intensely fierce vocals level up the song's melody, a fragilely tender guitar adding to the emotive feels.The lo-fi, tranquil, meandering beat continues to build as the song's intensity crescendos into a spiralling trap-flavoured electronic rhythm heightened by a siren-like fabricated squeal.
Throughout, Nikkita's voice acts as a beacon, drawing in a hopeful energy as the lyrics depict a longing for moments of escapism amidst the clutter of life's obstacles.
Ahead of the song's release tomorrow (25 August), scenestr is thrilled to premiere 'Horizon' today. Enjoy.
"I wrote 'Horizon' on a plane while I was moving states after the kind of heartbreak where you hit rock bottom and reach a real turning point in your life," shares Nikita, discussing the origins of 'Horizon'.
"All I wanted was to stay up in the air, in that limbo space between leaving my old life and starting my new one.
"The lyrics are at times very literal about actually being on a plane and willing the pilot to keep flying. So I tried to bring a lot of foley sounds into the production like the hum of the propellor and the general chatter of passengers. The aim was to transport listeners onto the plane with me."
A vivid indietronica slow burner, 'Horizon' was originally written as a singer-songwriter jam.
"It was actually meant to be an acoustic ballad, but my co-producer Bobby Gray just started throwing in distortion effects and this incredible synth lead, and suddenly it was building to this epic climax which really brought the lyrics to life.
"Because ultimately it's a song about keeping your eyes on what's important in life even when it feels like the world is burning around you. So it always comes back to this reaffirming chant of 'keep eyes on the horizon, don't stop' with more and more conviction until it reaches this euphoric high at the final chorus."
Nikkita is also hopeful the honesty imbued in the lyrics transposes a virtual love to listeners dealing with their own set of difficulties.
"I think it sits nicely with my previous two releases sound-wise, but I took a lot of inspiration from the song 'Soldier' by Fleurie which has a similar build, starting small and intimate, then intensifying to a huge crescendo.
"I wanted it to feel cinematic while still staying true to my electro-pop vibe. At the end though it shrinks back to just my acoustic guitar and finishes small, as though we've gone on this big journey but now we're back on the plane again, and it's just me trying to keep myself going.
"I really just hope this song helps anyone facing difficulty in life trust that better things might be on the horizon."
While still a relatively new voice in the indie scene, Nikkita has already experienced a little 'weirdness' in the studio. "The production process was super spooky," she begins.
"I work with a couple of producers regularly to help me with recording instruments and sound design and for some reason their tech seems to exclusively break when I'm in the studio.
"One producer always loses the ability to use his mouse or keyboard, and the other always has to use his backup interface because the main will start acting weird when I'm around. It's an ongoing joke now. Somehow we got this song recorded though!"
