NIKI Essentials

NIKI was raised listening to the mid-'90s acts her mother loved, from Aaliyah to TLC and Destiny's Child. As an 18-year-old she launched into widespread fame, her voice joining the ranks of the R&B superstars she had grown up watching on TV. The Jakartan singer deftly produces tumbling, quick lyrical flow in tracks like "Dancing with the Devil" and explores bold feminism in "Newsflash!" Although she carries the spirit and sound of the female artists that inspire her, she updates '90s R&B with glossy 21st-century production, trap hi-hats and a fresh swagger.