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A Conversation With NIKI
by
Thu, Apr 16, 2026
7 PM – 8:30 PM PDT (GMT-7)
Bovard Auditorium
Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
1124
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What eventually became Buzz, the third studio album by Jakarta-born singer-songwriter and globally-renowned star NIKI, began with an urgent quake from the innermost core of her being.
“I went through an identity crisis,” says the 25-year-old of Buzz. “It took a lot of trial and error, and I just stumbled upon pieces of myself along the way. I named it Buzz because it feels like I'm on the precipice of something about to happen.”
By embarking on her first world tour in 2022, NIKI sharpened her perspective as an artist whose identity has been indelibly shaped by her Trans-Pacific transience. “Since moving to the States, that transient feeling has never left me — it’s why Buzz was written in a little bit of everywhere,” says NIKI.
In her initial sketches of songs for Buzz, NIKI took cues from other lane-paving women with confessional, honest lyricism soundtracked by guitars. “Joni Mitchell is my songwriting north star,” she says — and uncompromising feminist luminaries like Stevie Nicks, Carly Simon and Liz Phair. To match the wandering spirit of Buzz, NIKI cultivated her own elastic approach to guitar, ambling between the funky undulations of “Too Much Of A Good Thing” and intricate acoustic lines of “Take Care” And in true Joni fashion, she takes a rootsy, pattern-picked detour in “Strong Girl” — “Who am I if I can’t be everybody’s strong girl?” she croons, gently exhaling years’ worth of pent-up pressure from her life in the spotlight.
To further harness this creative and personal sea change, NIKI began enlisting producers who had worked with her favorite contemporary singer-songwriters. She tapped Tyler Chester, who’d captured tracks with Madison Cunningham and Sara Bareilles; she also recruited Ethan Gruska, who counts Fiona Apple and Phoebe Bridgers as collaborators.
Buzz reverberates with the hard-earned wisdom of a young woman who charges dauntlessly towards her dreams — but can still spare a laugh if she stumbles.
We can’t wait to see you there! 💜🎶
This program is open to all eligible individuals. APASA, ISA, and the Speakers Committee operate all of their programs and activities consistent with USC’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.
Individuals with disabilities who need accommodations to attend this event may contact apasa@usc.edu or uscisa@usc.edu. We request that individuals requiring accommodations or auxiliary aids such as sign language interpreters and alternative format materials notify us at least 7 days prior to the event. Every reasonable effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations in an effective and timely manner
Where
Bovard Auditorium
Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
Speakers
Niki Zefanya
What eventually became Buzz, the third studio album by Jakarta-born singer-songwriter and globally-renowned star NIKI, began with an urgent quake from the innermost core of her being.
“I went through an identity crisis,” says the 25-year-old of Buzz. “It took a lot of trial and error, and I just stumbled upon pieces of myself along the way. I named it Buzz because it feels like I'm on the precipice of something about to happen.”
By embarking on her first world tour in 2022, NIKI sharpened her perspective as an artist whose identity has been indelibly shaped by her Trans-Pacific transience. “Since moving to the States, that transient feeling has never left me — it’s why Buzz was written in a little bit of everywhere,” says NIKI.
In her initial sketches of songs for Buzz, NIKI took cues from other lane-paving women with confessional, honest lyricism soundtracked by guitars. “Joni Mitchell is my songwriting north star,” she says — and uncompromising feminist luminaries like Stevie Nicks, Carly Simon and Liz Phair. To match the wandering spirit of Buzz, NIKI cultivated her own elastic approach to guitar, ambling between the funky undulations of “Too Much Of A Good Thing” and intricate acoustic lines of “Take Care” And in true Joni fashion, she takes a rootsy, pattern-picked detour in “Strong Girl” — “Who am I if I can’t be everybody’s strong girl?” she croons, gently exhaling years’ worth of pent-up pressure from her life in the spotlight.
To further harness this creative and personal sea change, NIKI began enlisting producers who had worked with her favorite contemporary singer-songwriters. She tapped Tyler Chester, who’d captured tracks with Madison Cunningham and Sara Bareilles; she also recruited Ethan Gruska, who counts Fiona Apple and Phoebe Bridgers as collaborators.
Buzz reverberates with the hard-earned wisdom of a young woman who charges dauntlessly towards her dreams — but can still spare a laugh if she stumbles.
Hosted By
Katherine Nguyen
Co-hosted with: Asian Pacific American Student Assembly (OWNER), International Student Assembly, Speakers Committee
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