
A guaranteed floor-filler, the track is pure, unapologetic pop. And NIKO’s confident, well-honed vocals drive the song like a boss. Due to the COVID pandemic lockdown, the track is a truly international collaboration. Working with his producer Joakim Buddee completely remotely, the dynamic duo confabbed via Zoom sessions and email. When ‘go time’ came, NIKO recorded the vocals in a studio on Sunset Boulevard, Joakim mixed the song in his studio in Stockholm, and then whole enchilada was sent to Germany for mastering.
Born in Italy, NIKO grew up in a household where the radio was always on and his love for music was informed by icons such as Madonna, Britney Spears and George Michael. Fueled by his passion, NIKO formed a band and started performing in local venues in Milan. But it wasn’t until he experienced nightlife that he discovered a love for dance music. A new door opened, and he started working with DJs as a vocalist. After moving to the U.S., NIKO launched his career as an indie artist releasing his first EP RMNC 21 in 2019, a collection of songs inspired by love and lust. He now resides in Los Angeles where he’s working on his upcoming releases, crafting an uplifting soundscape inspired by European pop, immersed in the California sunshine. You can find my previous coverage of NIKO and his music here. Stream ‘Idol’ on Spotify here and on Apple Music here. 





Wanting to capture “the essence” of his life and the song, James admits there is a duality at play in the music video. “We wanted to capture the two sides of me: the one who is JSJ, who wears extravagant outfits and SLAYYYYYS, and the Joshua who loves being lazy and hanging out in his velour tracksuit. We also wanted to capture the essence of the song: being in love, and separated by factors outside of your control.” “So, naturally, I chose to wear a fancy outfit and sing while lost in the wintry woods, while also in my sweats in a studio on FaceTime. It represents the before and after, the behind the scenes vs the final product, and the stage performance vs the crushing reality.” James kept busy during the pandemic releasing his previous singles and videos, “
