Sukhman Kaur
15 Nov 2024
Indonesian singer-songwriter NIKI (Nicole Zefanya) released her studio album ‘Buzz’ in early August. Since then, she's embarked on a tour spanning all four corners of the earth: from North America and Europe, to Asia and Australasia. Our reporter Sukhman attended her London concert at Wembley Arena on September 7th 2024.
The audience were silent, everyone holding their breath, eyes glued to the stage, in eager anticipation for the artist’s grand entrance. The audience went wild as a shadow in the form of a woman emerged from the thick smoke clouding the stage.
The evening commenced at 19:00 with Luna Li, the opening act, successfully charming the audience with her sweet voice. Her fellow band members were integral to her appeal and a tribute to her professionalism. The audience were simply awestruck as she so seamlessly alternated between playing the guitar, the flute and the violin. It was truly quite a remarkable sight. Her music may be best characterised as soft indie and it was the perfect act to warm up the audience.
A few songs later, she said goodnight and we awaited the arrival of the main event. Adrenaline was high and palpable amongst the audience members, who began gushing with excitement. A moment later, NIKI took to the stage. NIKI embodies the ‘punk meets Y2K’ aesthetic. She was rocking a pleated mini skirt, preppy sports top and pair of chunky black leather boots – adorned with a pair of chic black sunglasses.
She opened with a bang with her performance of the eponymous ‘Buzz’, to which the crowd responded enthusiastically. It is clear that NIKI sets out to create an alternative stage presence and persona. Everything from her fashion statements to her mannerisms was performative.
The stage was minimalistic, bar a punkish backdrop where metallic stained squares were hung, consistent with the indie punk vibe to which she adheres. Her energetic band – comprised of 3 guitarists, a drummer and a pianist - were clearly a close-knit group, and it was wonderful to witness an almost familial dynamic on the stage. Their connection to – and deep passion for - their music was undeniable as they bopped their heads and jumped up and down in simultaneity.
NIKI showcased her other hit songs ‘Colossal Loss’, ‘Focus’ and ‘High School in Jakarta’, all accompanied by exceptional band performances. NIKI was quite the instrumentalist herself, playing the electric and acoustic guitar, as well as the piano. The lights on the stage often complemented her performance, flashing in time to the rhythm. Shades of purple, blue and white were reflected onto the stage setting up an intimate atmosphere, more pronounced at the height of her emotional tracks-.
Perhaps most notable of all was her charismatic personality. There was something distinctly human about NIKI as she addressed her fanbase in such a casual and conversational manner. Throughout her performance she shared personal anecdotes and relatable sentiments on heartbreak and toxic exes, oddly reminiscent of girl talk at a sleepover.
Fans cried not only tears of joy, but those of sadness. NIKI performed some of her more sombre songs, the poignance of which tugged on our heartstrings. On this note, we were privileged to be party to her first performance of ‘Hallway Weather’, a moving Christmas number.
Another pinnacle moment for fans was the surprise appearance of Maisie Peters. Maisie too, seemed to have been apprised of the fashion theme, sporting a similar outfit to NIKI herself. Better still, her voice complimented NIKI’s so beautifully.
Overall, the performance was electrifying with NIKI’s dynamic stage presence and talent for audience engagement. I would go as far as to say that her stage presence was on par with the likes of renowned female artists such as Sabrina Carpenter and Olivio Rodrigo. The crowd simply adored her and she so clearly has the utmost love and respect for her fanbase. NIKI will be selling out arenas larger than this in no time at all. NIKI’s live performance is an absolute must-see!
Sukhman Kaur
Edited by Ben Kittoe