Musicians play numerous shows across different countries throughout their careers, but there are a select few that occupy special places in their hearts.

For NIKI, one of them would be the Singapore leg of her ongoing The Nicole Tour. 

At her concert at The Star Performing Arts Centre's The Star Theatre on 6 December, the Indonesian artist recalled her last visit to the venue in 2018, during which she was the supporting act for Halsey's Hopeless Fountain Kingdom concert. 

"Just being here tonight has felt very emotional. It's felt really full circle because that show was one of the first shows I ever did in my career, so again, truly I can't tell you how thankful I am that all of you are here tonight," the 23-year-old, whose real name is Nicole Zefanya, told the audience. 

Coming just days after her homecoming appearance at Head in the Clouds Jakarta, NIKI's Singapore show was also a homecoming of sorts — one that presented her with a perfect opportunity to show fans in the city-state just how much she had grown in the last four years. And as everyone had expected, she did not disappoint.

Opening with 'Before', one of the tracks from her 2022 third studio album Nicole, the singer-songwriter extended a somewhat unconventional invitation to the crowd to step into her ever-growing library of introspective stories. You would think that such a heartbreaking song would have made the initial part of the show a bit of a downer, but the effect that it had on those in attendance was the complete opposite of this.

As she sang of heartache while strumming a guitar, fans could be spotted bouncing and swaying in a manner that suggested that they were already completely immersed in the 88rising act's music. 

With the crowd warmed up, she proceeded to instruct everyone to get on their feet for the dance-inducing 'Keeping Tabs'. Now without a musical instrument, NIKI — flanked by members of her all-female band — moved up and down the stage with a noticeable spring in her step, occasionally stopping to delight fans with her charming little dance moves. 

What started as a seated event soon evolved into a standing one as fans remained on their feet even after the conclusion of 'Keeping Tabs'. With dopamine levels peaking within the venue, who could blame them for not wanting to get back in their seats? 

The energy that had been generated during the number then quickly overflowed into 'Vintage' and 'urs', popular tracks from 2018's Zephyr and 2019's wanna take this downtown?, respectively, that NIKI performed with the aid of a sea of backing vocalists. 

In what will be remembered as one of the most beautiful part of the show, NIKI — after taking position behind a keyboard as if switching stances — put her vocals on full display during stripped-down performances of her "multiverse song" 'The Apartment We Won't Share' and 'Lose', a track taken off 2020's Moonchild. 

She said of the former: "I watched this movie called Everything Everywhere All At Once. I saw that movie a couple of days after I wrote the song and realised [that] I really liked talking about the multiverse and sort of this life you've never lived."

With the lights in the concert hall dimmed and just a lone spotlight on the soloist, the intimate segment showcased NIKI at her best — delivering thoughtfully written lines with sincerity and without any fear of being vulnerable. Witnessing it was very much like having the rare opportunity of meeting your favourite author and having them read you a chapter from a book of theirs, and those who were in The Star Theatre will, without a doubt, cherish this precious memory for life. 

When 'Oceans & Engines', one of the night's final songs, came on, you could sense that everyone was trying their best to fight back tears. Wielding a guitar once more, NIKI gave an impassioned live rendition of the emotional number about letting someone go as clips from its music video played on a screen behind her. 

Not wanting to end her show on a sad note, NIKI, following a costume change, re-emerged on stage in school uniform, all ready to unleash 'High School in Jakarta'. As she made a trip back to her high school days in a performance that gave the song's original studio recording a run for its money, fans were there with her every step of the way, singing along to every line. The biggest highlight of the song was without question the crowd's enthusiastic delivery of — you guessed it — "and I'm spendin' the summer in Singapore".

Then in the encore, NIKI put a bow on a show to remember with two back-to-back favourites — 'lowkey' and 'Every Summertime'. Her most famous contribution to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: The Album, the cheerful latter number was a fitting celebration of NIKI's remarkable journey that wrapped up the night on a high.

The Nicole Tour will continue in Taipei on 13 December. 

The Nicole Tour Singapore setlist:

1. Before
2. Keeping Tabs
3. Vintage
4. urs
5. Autumn
6. Backburner
7. Anaheim
8. The Apartment We Won’t Share
9. Lose
10. I Like U
11. La La Lost You
12. Facebook Friends
13. Oceans & Engines
14. High School in Jakarta
15. lowkey
16. Every Summertime