NIKI’s debut album Moonchild was released on Sept. 10. In her previous EP called Zephyr and singles such as “Lose” and “I Like U,” she captured the full spectrum of emotions during love and heartbreak, and established herself as an R&B artist. In Moonchild, her sound almost entirely evolved, making her an iconic blend of indie and R&B that is beautiful and otherworldly. 

In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the Indonesian singer/songwriter describes Moonchild as a storybook and coming of age story. She took to Instagram to release a statement on the long writing process of her songs. “This…is two years of unrelenting work. I bent over backward, almost quit, and lost my mind countless times before this album became the body of work it is today,” she said. NIKI then encouraged her fans to listen to the album in order, from start to finish.

While her past work has been focused on love, NIKI explains that this album is centered around her self growth as an artist and human being. As a product of her evolution, Moonchild experiments with new visuals in music videos, and took fans by surprise with heavy synth beats against her otherwise soft voice. 

The album itself is organized into three phases, which mirror the phases of the moon; the crescent, eclipse, and full moon. The album includes bright and grim songs and even throws in some rap. The second song on the album, “Switchblade” feels like running through a field where the grass is made of gold, while songs in the later phases, such as “Tide,” feel like being hit by waves in the ocean at high tide.