From Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, Tiny Desk is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with an "El Tiny" takeover of the (home) concert series, featuring J Balvin, Camila Cabello and several more musicians from all corners of Latinidad.
Sitting next to rapper Nicki Nicole, on a stack of books, you'll see an old Sony camcorder – throughout this six-song performance we cut back to its footage every now and again, the rough texture breaking from the pristine, offering a nostalgic sense of intimacy. It's a production choice that completely works and, in a way, reflects Nicki Nicole at large, as an artist born in 2000 and with a connection to sounds and styles beyond her years.
At multiple points throughout the performance, Nicki points and beckons to the audience, inviting them into her world, her lyrics, her sound. Every track carries a certain brand of swagger whether it be the intensity of her second song "Mala Vida" or her effortless, confident freestyle. Even when she slows it down, on "Parte de Mi," strings and piano create an arresting connection between us and her – and her final song, "Baby," is a bombastic head-bopper, enhanced by her deeply groove-oriented band, which includes everything from an accordion to a mandolin.
Fittingly, Nicki Nicole has a tattoo on her neck which, in English, reads "bulls***." She has said before that the tattoo represents her need to break free of the labels applied by both her culture and industry as a young, Argentine female R&B artist. If her concert is any indication, Nicki Nicole is here to stay, while moving ever further away from any preconceived notions of her artistry – the "bulls***."
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TINY DESK TEAM
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