NIKI Welcomes the Winter With the Bittersweet Ballad "Sugarplum Elegy"
88Rising's NIKI has officially started the countdown to Christmas. With her own production, arrangement, songwriting, and vocals, NIKI has taken the reigns on her newest release, "Sugarplum Elegy." With the release of the acclaimed Head in the Clouds II crew album and her accompanying acoustic sessions, the new single comes at the tail-end of a vastly productive for the young Indonesian songstress. "Sugarplum Elegy" is sweet, reflective, powerful, and the perfect bittersweet ending to what has been an illustrious year for the inevitable R&B star.
NIKIi's production on the track does a masterful job of honing in on the sounds of the season, crafting a soundscape that blends R&B elements with the chimes of your favorite memories. The track features grand and silky falsetto hits by NIKI as she glides into an array of "ooos" that encapsulate a sense of sweet nostalgia. The queen of 88rising delivers each verse with a sort of sway that intices smooth head-bobbing and warm reflection.
Yet, despite the feel-good elements of the track shining through the sweet synths and chimes, "Sugarplum Elegy" is the story of a relationship's bittersweet end. Through lines such as "A curse in a graceful disguise" and "It's just time," NIKI explores all spectrums of the past relationship, losing herself in deep reflection despite being assured it should all come to an end. NIKI's passionate delivery on the track highlights the emotional ties in the song, crafting an illustrious and warm single just in time for the winter.
Listen to "Sugarplum Elegy" below:
