Have you ever felt like you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time? Fortunately, indie groove songstress Darling Nikki is here to write the quintessential soundtrack for this exact feeling of desiring a lost era. With an artistry that conveys nostalgic themes of disco, funk, and hippie enthusiasm, Darling Nikki’s music takes listeners back to a time where 70s soul thrived.
Her debut single “Elvis” – written, recorded, produced by herself – along with producing and editing the video, too – is a retro-fueled earworm, combining a punchy bass line with catchy brass to deliver a story of the king of rock and roll himself. However, the song was initially inspired not by the King, but Prince.
Though he don’t even know my name
And he has never seen my face
I can feel that I will be the one he loves
The King of Rock’n roll
“I wanted to write a song about a special encounter I had with Prince, when I was a teenager,” Darling Nikki says. “He’s always been a huge inspiration, and I was a super fan and I chose my artist name after one of his songs. It’s bizarre that I met him several times, but the coolest thing was when I met him in a club in Monaco – we chatted and immediately clicked. The music sucked and we went together to the DJ Booth to pick James Brown tunes. It was really special. Like finally being at the right place at the right time, when all my life I felt I was at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Her debut single tells the story of a girl who feels like an outcast and is drawn to Elvis, believing one day she’ll meet him, and everything will be okay. However, the girl will soon learn that the only one who can save you at the end of the day is yourself.
Though he’s a million miles away
And he don’t care about my pain
I can feel him, no-one else can soothe my soul
One day he’s gonna know
Combining funky guitars, rock and roll swagger and horns via Al Green, “Elvis” is a tune that draws listeners in the same way any idol attracts their devout fans.
“Elvis” is released ahead of Darling Nikki’s forthcoming EP Hippie Soul. The singer-songwriter says her EP is a multi-cultural project, featuring contributions from musicians and engineers from Brazil, Turkey, Germany, and the UK.
Born and raised in Germany herself, Darling Nikki started making music at five years old. In a country known for its iconic techno and industrial music scenes, Darling Nikki – drawn to 60s and 70s funk – felt like she was in the wrong place from an early age. At 17, she left home to become a professional musician. Throughout her career, she has provided vocals and worked with several renowned music industry figures including Larry Graham (Sly Stone, Prince), Dionne Warwick, and Nelly Furtado.
During the pandemic, Darling Nikki devoted herself to songwriting and is now preparing to release her debut EP Hippie Soul, a collection of the singer’s most deeply personal songs that celebrate her favorite musical era.
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“With Hippie Soul, I also created my own genre and brand,” she says. “I want to take people back to a world where the air is thick of 70s nostalgia and to the free-spirited ethos of the Hippie Movement and its music.”
Her debut single, “Elvis,” is only a sneak peak of how Darling Nikki delivers 70s-inspired songs with her own unique touch.