Off her new EP, “Showed Up Drunk” showcases the relatable ordeal of trying to reach out to an ex while under the influence of “liquid courage.” “The single gives you that feeling of when you see someone doing something they really shouldn’t do and all you can think is ‘oh, honey, no.’ It’s like you shouldn’t be entertained by this but you are,” adds NIKKA.
To NIKKA, the single has more meaning than an entertaining (albeit cringe) story you relive with friends over drinks. “You shouldn’t be afraid to feel your feelings. Don’t let someone make you feel crazy or extra. There’s a negative connotation of showing up drunk, but also alcohol gives you liquid courage. In relationships, things get messy. Sometimes the other person gets called crazy when one person doesn’t want to deal with their feelings. This single says ‘I’m not crazy. I’m the mess here but I still want to show up at your house and know I meant something. You owe it to me because I meant something to you.’”
Raised in Eastern Europe, NIKKA turned to music to perfect her English after moving to the U.S. Over the years, she hoped to pick up additional instruments to aid her songwriting process. “I tried to pick up the guitar and piano over the years, but I’m not fluent in (written) music. I loved singing and playing around with music. I would write songs and melodies, but I didn’t think I could pursue it because I’m not a traditional musician.”
“Then two years back, during COVID of all things, I kept singing the same songs to myself. It’s something I’d done for years, as I worked remotely for my corporate job. But you can’t really sing aloud when you’re traveling or at the airport,” jokes NIKKA.
NIKKA credits a wide range of influences for her unique sound. “When you listen to the entire EP, it’s all over the place. I really loved Mariah Carey growing up. I was also influenced by music in hip hop, R&B, and pop. I also loved Green Day—rock with a spunk. And who doesn’t love Taylor Swift?”
When it comes to developing her songs, NIKKA explores ideas to figure out which random thoughts have potential for a full-blown work. She finds inspiration on the go. “I could be cooking or wherever, then a melody comes, and I throw it in my iPhone. Then I’ll go through my voice memos later and ask myself if it fits with others I’ve written recently.”
While she’s able to lay down a few chords on the guitar, NIKKA turns to experienced producers for the instrumental portion of her music. “I moved to Kansas City in March of this year and found a producer (Danny) I work well with. Now we have a good working relationship. The experience really pushed me to release music and do something with it.”
Creating “Showed Up Drunk” was a process over the course of a few years. “It’s rare for me to finish a song quickly. The “I showed up at your house drunk” part I wrote back in 2021. I didn’t do much with it then but thought ‘oh, that’s fun.’” NIKKA let the song rest for a year, then came up with the first verse a year later. “It wasn’t until December of last year that I came back to it. I had ideas for lines for the second verse that I didn’t love—it didn’t fit well together. And I had a general idea of the bridge.”
It took collaborating with a friend to finish the song, chatting through ideas to fine-tune the second verse. The single was finished at the end of 2022 and produced twice—once upon completion and a refreshed production later in Kansas City. “It’s been an evolution,” shares NIKKA. “I’m happy with what came from it. The first version was pop punk but I wasn’t really caught on the old one. Danny went and added elements to soften the song while keeping it spunky.”
NIKKA has come a long way this year alone. In June, she released her first single—a moment to be proud of. Then she went on to release her entire EP. “I’m proud I finally did it,” shares the singer. “I’m my own worst enemy when it comes to hearing imperfections. But I finally got to the point of releasing and sharing it. There’s an element of vulnerability there.”
In addition to NIKKA’s single and EP, fans can look forward to another single soon. “My producer and I have a joke… I burned out recording 2-3 times a week after work. I promised I’d take a month off after finishing the project and told him to ghost me if I text about recording before the month is done. Well now, the month is over,” teases the artist.
Make sure to stay connected to NIKKA on all platforms for new music, videos, and social posts.
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