Review: lowkey by NIKI

Lowkey is the first glimpse of NIKI's new work, both as a single as well as the first track of her EP wanna take this downtown. Sonically, the song begins with very light instrumentals, creating the "low-key" atmosphere that fills the entire track. NIKI's voice smoothly flows through the song in perfect rhythm - she knows exactly where to place her words and how they should sound. Throughout the verses, she even takes on a rap-inspired style with staccato rhythm and clever wordplay such as, "Put your phone on vibrate let's catch a vibe babe while the sun's down." Something I've always admired about NIKI is her confidence and how much she exudes it through her music, and through these low-key vibes, this track is no different. She is singing about how she wants this love to happen, but not go too far. In an interview with Genius, NIKI explains how her song rebels against the stereotype of women being the clingy ones in relationships. Women are always labeled as the ones to catch feelings first and be over-dramatic about love, however in this song NIKI simply wants to have a good time without getting attached. Personally, lowkey is one of my favorite tracks by her as the wordplay, vocals, song progression, and message work together so effortlessly.