You might recognize her from her early days on Youtube, where she captivated listeners with covers or several viral TikTok moments.
Singer-songwriter Niki Kini has her own bold blend of R&B and alt-pop that comes alive with witty lyrics and an infectious groove.
Her new single, “WATCH YOUR BACK,” is a head-turner. The song pulses with confidence and playfulness, pulling listeners into Niki’s world, where humor and a bit of edge meet irresistibly infectious melodies.
The track’s mix of R&B and alt-pop layers edgy beats with catchy hooks, creating a backdrop for Kini’s bold statements. Her clever wordplay, as in “two steps to your left, so watch your back / too fake, come correct, so watch your back,” feels like a playful but sharp reminder that she’s keeping tabs on those who’ve crossed her. She balances her confidence with humor, like in the line, “I wear odd socks but you’re mismatched.”
It’s music that makes you want to move but can also resonate on a deeper, more introspective level. Niki infuses her work with her South Indian heritage—adding vibrant visuals, bold jewelry, and subtle nods to the culture in production.
Motivated by the limited South Indian representation in UK music, Niki is on a mission to make her mark—and she’s doing it with style and substance.
It's great to have you back with us, Niki Kini, celebrating the release of your track, "WATCH YOUR BACK." You’ve had a unique journey, starting with YouTube covers and now creating original music with such a distinct voice. What moments shaped your evolution from covering songs to owning your own sound?
I’ve always loved to sing around the house from a young age (although my family tells me I couldn’t hold a tune when I was younger, I’d like to think I can now!). The biggest moment for me that shaped this shift was the opportunity to perform at an Open Mic at my school.
I hadn’t really ever sung in front of an audience, so I decided to sing an original song that I’d written accompanied by a piano. It was such a powerful moment to prove to myself that I could perform in front of an audience and perform a song that people really liked. I ended up posting that performance clip on YouTube and then was presented with the opportunity to work with people from the music industry at just 15, so that was a pretty defining moment for me.
My sound has definitely evolved over time, as expected, but now I’m making music that I love to perform live. I love any opportunity to boogie on stage, and this new era of music is perfect for that.
In "WATCH YOUR BACK," you talk about people who doubted you or didn’t take you seriously. How do you deal with criticism, and what keeps you motivated in the face of it?
I think criticism can be good sometimes, but it can also be a bitter pill to swallow, and that’s mostly when you believe in something. However, I also think that’s how you know just how much you believe in yourself and your project.
The only times I ever get defensive over criticisms of my music is when I truly disagree, and that’s just a testament to knowing what I’m capable of and what I think my music can achieve. There will always be people who have another opinion, and I think that’s totally fine and can truly be a useful insight.
So, in the face of criticism, I hear what’s being said, evaluate my situation, and decide whether I want to listen to it or not because, after all, why is someone else’s opinion more important than my own when it comes down to something as personal as my music and who I am?
You’ve worked with artists like RAYE and Rina Sawayama. What was it like collaborating with them, and how have these experiences shaped your own music?
Honestly surreal. I never thought I would get the opportunity to work with artists I respected as much as I did then and still do now so early on in my career. It was completely inspiring to see how their creative brains work and to talk to them about their experiences in the music industry at the time.
Raye actually played ‘Ice Cream Man’ for me back in 2019, which brought tears to my eyes then and still does now. They’re just such beautiful people inside and out, and they really taught me to keep hustling and working hard and that it’ll eventually pay off.
Raye has always been one of my favorite artists, and so working alongside her at the writing camp (and I actually did my first ever tequila shot with Raye at that session) just made me feel like the coolest 15-year-old whilst everyone else was at school.
As a young artist with big goals, what does success look like to you, and how do you define it in your career?
I think success is a metric that is best measured by how you feel. I think society defines success by how much money you make and what events you’re attending, et cetera.
Still, you could be the biggest artist in the world but feel lost and lonely, so success to me is about how I feel when I’m performing at shows, how my audience interacts with me and with the music, and whether I have 1000 monthly listeners or 100,000 monthly listeners, I just want my audience to feel connected and heard. It’s these kinds of things that make me feel like I’m making a difference.
Social media reshaped the music industry quite a bit and so now it’s really about nurturing the audience you have, I think that’s what builds long-term careers. So, whilst I do have my own metrics and goals I want to achieve, I also want to make anyone who listens to my music feel good.
What’s next for you after "WATCH YOUR BACK?" Are there themes or sounds you’re excited to explore in future releases?
I’m very excited for the next chapter of my life. I’m completely independent and now officially have 100% control over my sound.
At first, that was incredibly scary for me, but I’m now finding power in it, so this next chapter holds new music, vibes, and themes, and I can’t wait for the world to hear it.
Stay tuned!
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