Niki Black‘s new song “Ego” is a complex dark-pop anthem that leads you down a philosophical rabbit-hole about the destruction of one’s self.
“Ego” is complex. Niki’s voice goes from cheerleader-like chants, giggles, and soulful riffs without missing a beat. The song changes structure quickly, but with purpose, haunting melodies lead to alarming beats and distortion.
Black is a student of philosophy, and “Ego” has those philosophical levels to it. When she declares, “I am the star,” and she says it with pure confidence, but with the repetition of the phrase, it shows how fragile it is. It’s a take on how women can have that feeling that they shouldn’t be egoistic, but it comes so naturally to men. This song is a feminist rebuttal to a word that is so often about men.
The surrounding sonic chaos of the song is the breakdown of the ego, how the feeling of superiority is fleeting. As we go deeper into the chaos, the ego has to be demolished for the good of society.
Black made a name for herself with her dark-pop compositions in her hometown of Los Angeles, but her songs have complexity from her Persian roots. She’s inspired by Iranian pop legend Googoosh and the writings of Rumi. Her upcoming album Lilith is set to be released later this year.
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