With her first EP, Osaka-Seoul-Kiel, NIKA reflects on identity, vulnerability, and the freedom to create on her own terms.
Finding an artistic identity takes time, especially when the journey involves years of experimentation, uncertainty, and changing expectations. For NIKA, the path to Osaka-Seoul-Kiel has been shaped by different musical influences and the gradual discovery of what she wants to express as an artist. Released on October 14, her first EP brings together five tracks rooted in Contemporary R&B and Neo Soul, exploring emotions that extend beyond personal experience.
Three Cities, One Story
Osaka, Seoul, and Kiel each represent a different part of NIKA’s life. Together, they form more than the title of her first mini-album: they connect her early beginnings, family roots, and artistic development. That sense of belonging to several places mirrors her musical journey, which has taken her through different genres before she began to feel more comfortable trusting her own instincts.
Léane: Osaka, Seoul, and Kiel each hold a different meaning in your life. How have these three places shaped the person and artist you are today?
NIKA: Seoul probably plays the most central role in my life, since I’ve spent most of my time here and developed as an artist. But Osaka and Kiel are also deeply meaningful to me in different ways. Osaka represents my early beginnings, while Kiel connects me to my father’s side of the family and my European roots.
Rather than choosing just one place to belong to, I feel that all three cities have shaped who I am today. Maybe that’s also why I don’t feel the need to define myself too narrowly, either as a person or as an artist.
Léane: You spent years exploring different musical styles before finding the sound you wanted to pursue as a solo artist. Was there a particular moment when you realised you no longer needed to fit into a specific genre or image?
NIKA: I’ve explored many different styles throughout my career, from tropical dance music and ballads to city pop and rock-influenced R&B. Every experience has taught me something, even the ones that didn’t feel right for me at the time.
After years as a trainee and then as a group member, becoming a solo artist gave me the opportunity to discover what I really wanted to express through music. It took time, but I gradually learned to trust my own taste rather than trying to fit into a particular image or genre. I think the artist I am today is the result of all those experiments, doubts, and moments of rediscovery.
Léane: The EP draws on Contemporary R&B and Neo Soul. What attracts you to Neo Soul in particular, and what does it allow you to express that you might not find in other styles of music?
NIKA: What I love about Neo Soul is the freedom to explore rhythm, harmony, and vocal expression without following a fixed formula. My roots are in R&B, but I’ve always wanted to explore different sounds.
With this EP, I was drawn to a more understated, atmospheric sound where the instruments and vocals can breathe together. I wanted the music to feel alluring and effortless, and Neo Soul allows me to express that side of myself.
Emotions Between the Lines
Love, uncertainty, and self-worth run through Osaka-Seoul-Kiel, but the songs approach these subjects from different perspectives.
Léane: In Anyway, you sing, “I’ll lose my mind anyway.” The line captures the feeling of being drawn towards someone despite what reason might tell you. What do you think happens when we let ourselves follow an emotion without trying to control it?
NIKA: I think we sometimes spend so much energy trying to make the right decision that we forget to ask ourselves what we actually feel. Emotions can be confusing, and following them doesn’t always lead to the easiest outcome.
But there’s something liberating about accepting that you can’t control everything. The line reflects the feeling of being drawn towards something even when your rational mind tells you otherwise. Sometimes, you just have to experience something rather than trying to figure it all out beforehand.
Léane: In Lover’s Night, you explore the excitement and anxiety that come with falling in love. Do you find it easy to let someone see your vulnerable side, or is that something that takes time for you?
NIKA: I tend to be a little guarded at first and don’t open up completely right away. But when I feel someone’s sincerity, I gradually let my guard down and open my heart. When I truly feel comfortable with someone, I can show even the most vulnerable parts of myself, including the childlike side of me that I don’t usually show to everyone. I tried to express that side of myself through the lyrics of Lover’s Night.
Léane: In Kill the Vibe!, you raise a question that goes beyond music: “Is success really the only way to prove your worth?” What does success mean to you personally today, and do you think it’s possible to build a fulfilling life without following society’s expectations?
NIKA: I think my definition of success has changed over time. In the past, I probably cared more about meeting expectations or achieving things at the right time. Now, I think success also means being able to live and create in a way that feels true to yourself.
With Kill the Vibe!, I wanted to question the idea that we have to prove our worth through achievements. I don’t think we all need to follow the same path or reach the same milestones to have meaningful lives.
For me, making music I genuinely love without constantly worrying about whether it meets others’ expectations is already a form of success.
Léane: Panorama looks back on moments and scenes from the past, almost as if they’re unfolding before our eyes. When you look back at your own life, what comes into view?
NIKA: When I look back, I see many different versions of myself: the younger me who wanted to become a singer, the person who spent years preparing for that dream, and the artist I became while still searching for my own direction after debuting. There were times when I felt uncertain about where I belonged or what kind of music I should make. Looking back, I realize those confusing moments were also part of the process.
I’m learning to see my life less as a straight line towards a particular goal and more as a collection of experiences that have gradually made me who I am.
Becoming More Yourself
For NIKA, finding her own sound has not meant arriving at a definitive answer. Instead, this new project marks a point where she can recognise more of herself in the music she creates.
Léane: Better as Me closes the EP with a sense of conviction after years of experimentation, doubt, and growth. When you listen back to the music you’ve created over these seven years, are you happy with what you’ve built so far?
NIKA: Yes, I think I am, because I can finally hear more of myself in the music I’m making. Not every song I’ve released over the years fully satisfies me, but I value every step of the journey because each experience has helped me understand what kind of artist I want to be.
It took me a long time to find my own sound, and I don’t see this EP as a final answer to who I am. I’m sure I’ll continue to explore new sounds, but I’m happy that I can now trust my instincts and express myself more freely without fitting into a particular category.
Léane: It brings together experiences and emotions accumulated over several years. Was it difficult to decide which songs belonged on this project and which parts of your story you wanted to share with listeners?
NIKA: I wanted to keep Contemporary R&B as the overall direction of the EP while exploring different sounds. It was also important that the tracks felt connected and flowed naturally in their order. I actually considered leaving Panorama, the fourth track, off the EP. Its original arrangement was more K-pop band-oriented, so I made it more minimal while keeping its K-pop-inspired melodies.
Rather than telling stories based only on my own experiences, I wanted to express the emotions I’ve accumulated throughout my life through different love stories. The songs may not tell my story literally, but they reflect the feelings and perspectives that have shaped me.
Léane: You’ve written and composed few songs on the EP yourself. When you work on one, how do you know when it feels honest and true to you? Is there a point when you have to stop refining it and let it go?
NIKA: For me, songwriting often starts with a feeling rather than a clear concept. When I wrote Kill the Vibe!, I had been struggling to write for a while. Then, quite suddenly, a certain mood came to me, and I sat down at the piano. Within about 30 minutes, I had the melodies for the first verse and chorus. I think the most honest songs sometimes come together when you stop trying too hard and allow yourself to respond to what you’re feeling.
Léane: You’re bringing together the different styles you’ve explored and the artist you’ve gradually become. How do you see this EP?
NIKA: I see this EP as both a continuation and a new beginning. It brings together the different styles I’ve explored over the years and the artist I’ve gradually become. Rather than feeling like the end of a chapter, it feels like the beginning of a new journey. I’m excited to keep exploring and discovering new sides of myself through music.
Léane: Finally, if this mini-album is a snapshot of who you are at this particular moment in your life, what would you like your future self to remember about the person who made it?
NIKA: I hope to become an artist who cherishes and enjoys every moment, and I hope I never forget the emotions and meaning behind making this album.
Thank you to NIKA for this Interview.