''Nicole'' is the second
studio album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
by Indonesian singer-songwriter
Niki __NOTOC__
Niki may refer to:
People
* Niki (given name)
* NIKI (singer), Indonesian singer and songwriter
* Niki DeMar, American singer
* Niki Etsuko (1928–1986), Japanese author of mystery fiction
Places
* Niki, Hokkaido, a town in Japan
* Ni ...
. It was released on 12 August 2022, through
88rising
88rising (stylized as 88⬆), formerly known as CXSHXNLY (pronounced “cash only”), is an American music company that founder Sean Miyashiro describes as a "hybrid management, record label, video production, and marketing company".
The compa ...
.
Background
Zefanya stated on social media that the album would be made up of old songs she posted on
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
in the beginning of her career, saying that she had "quietly been re-recording and reimagining" those songs.
While addressing and thanking her social media followers she said that through her YouTube channel, she found her "first creative outlet & community", and that her followers' support "made the dream seem a little less impossible". Zefanya cited the
series of re-recorded albums American singer-songwriter
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...
(known as "Taylor's Version") has been releasing as one of the inspirations behind ''Nicole''.
The album features twelve tracks, two of them being the previously released singles "Before" and "Oceans & Engines". On 5 August 2022, a third and final song was released, titled "
High School in Jakarta", alongside a music video uploaded on Zefanya's YouTube channel. The title of the album comes from Zefanya's full first name, Nicole.
Critical reception
Khyne Palumar from ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' stated, "On ''Nicole'', Zefanya reconnects with her folk-pop roots, ditching the string of co-writers and savvy pop sheen of ''
Moonchild''. She instead reproduces songs written in her teens, embracing both raw confessionals and unapologetic schmaltz."
Danielle Chelosky from ''
Uproxx
''Uproxx'' (stylized in all caps) is an entertainment and popular culture news website. It was founded in 2008 by Jarret Myer and Brian Brater, and acquired by Woven Digital (later renamed Uproxx Media Group) in 2014. The site's target audience ...
'' said that the album "feels like a warm welcome. Her recollections of high school can make the listener feel like they're her old friend, and Zefanya is catching them up on what they've missed. Her reckonings with love are often so simultaneously thoughtful and whimsical, approaching Taylor Swift-level genius."
Track listing
Credits adapted from
Spotify
Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
.
References
2022 albums
88rising albums
Niki (singer) albums
{{2020s-album-stub