Exclusive Premiere: Nikitaa Encourages Resilience on New Song ‘Wolf’
The Los Angeles/Mumbai-based pop artist teamed up with regular collaborator, producer Mukund Komanduri
L.A./Mumbai-based pop artist Nikitaa. Photo: Courtesy of the artist
Pop artist Nikitaa recounts how her sister-in-law would sing a traditional Hindi tune which mirrored children’s stories around The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf. The words “Kaun darta hai bhediye se?” (Who’s afraid of the wolf?) has been worked into the drop of her new single “Wolf.”
Produced by Los Angeles-based Mukund Komanduri (who also worked on her single “Universe”), Nikitaa channels the braggadocio of Beyonce and packs in a buoyant R&B/pop track on “Wolf.” She says about the making of the track, “When I heard the drums it made me think of something very animalistic and primal, and the idea of writing a song from the perspective of the wolf was born.” Lyrically, she drew from indigenous cultural stories (including ones in India) as well as classic children’s fables like The Boy Who Cried Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood. “There are stories that speak to the wolf as a symbol for that inner knowing and intuition that we all have – that speaks to our courage,” Nikitaa adds.
Although crafted with all the elements of a surefire pop banger, the eventual message with “Wolf” became one of strength and resilience. She adds, “And willingness that they have to move through both their personal journey as well as the collective journey we’re all on right now. It’s such a big part of what I stand for. It’s such a big part of this release too.”
Watch the visualizer video for “Wolf” below.
