How NIKI’s Manila show became a ‘cathartic experience’ for my daughter
My daughter Gabbie is an avid concertgoer, especially when the performer is an artist she loves. One of her favorites is NIKI, an Indonesian singer-songwriter currently based in the United States who had a sold-out show at the Araneta Coliseum last March 1.
Here is Gabbie’s account of the experience:
I became a big fan of NIKI in 2022 when she released her album Nicole as I was going through a breakup. The songs captured exactly what I was feeling at the time, making the album feel deeply personal. Since then, her music and songwriting have stuck with me — they’re raw, honest, and always hit close to home.
When NIKI released her latest album Buzz in 2024, it was on repeat for months — an instant no-skip album. It felt like she had read my diary and turned my thoughts into songs. I listened to it so much that NIKI became one of my Top 5 most-played artists of the year. So, when the chance came to hear those songs live, there was no way I would miss it.
I saw NIKI live for the first time in 2023 during her “Nicole World Tour,” when she played a one-night show at the Mall of Asia Arena. She was absolutely captivating on stage, and the entire performance was breathtaking. And so, it was no surprise when she announced she’d be doing two nights in MOA this time around. Soon after, she added a third date at Araneta Coliseum to mark the final show of her tour’s Asian leg.
Having grown up watching shows at the Big Dome, I hoped to see NIKI’s concert at Araneta. There’s always something more intimate about shows there, and I could already imagine how incredible the energy would feel in that setting. Luckily, I managed to get tickets to the third show with my good friend, Gabby Tagle. We’re alike in so many ways — similar personalities, shared experiences and a mutual love for NIKI — so it felt fitting to experience this concert together.
For NIKI’s “Buzz Around The World Tour 2025,” each show had a different dress code theme. For our night, the theme was “Bumblebee on a Blossom,” which basically meant tropical garden fairy vibes. As Gabby and I had dinner at the new Gateway Mall, we saw people everywhere dressed in shades of green and pink, flowy skirts, and floral outfits. It felt like the whole mall was in on the theme, which only made us more excited for the concert.
As Gabby and I settled into our seats, we were already talking about which songs we were most excited to hear live. After a heartwarming fan-made video compilation featuring NIKI’s Southeast Asian fans was played, the energy in the arena skyrocketed. NIKI then took the stage, opening with her title track Buzz, while dressed in a green ensemble. She shared that she wrote Buzz across different countries, which inspired the show’s travel-themed concept. The concert was divided into different sections, each with its own unique vibe, reflecting the journey behind the album.
The first part of the show featured her more upbeat pop songs, including hits like Autumn, Focus and lowkey. The energy in the coliseum was electric — everyone was on their feet, singing along and completely immersed in the moment.
After that, she transitioned to an acoustic set, joined by her bandmates sitting on stools with their guitars. She performed softer, more intimate songs like Did You Like Her in the Morning and the classic La La Lost You. Before singing it, she even mentioned how loud Manila Nights 1 and 2 had been and challenged Night 3 to outshine all the other Asian shows. And judging by the way the entire coliseum belted it out, I think we did.
For the second act, she changed into a red dress. This was when she played her most gut-wrenching and introspective songs — my favorite kind of music.
One of the highlights was Tsunami. It was already one of my favorites from the album, but experiencing it live felt like an out-of-body experience that was so beautifully and theatrically done.
Then came Oceans & Engines, and as the entire coliseum was lit up by the audience’s flashlights, it felt like a collective healing moment. That song got me through a lot back in 2022, and hearing it live again made it even more special. Another standout was Magnets. There’s something about this song that feels almost therapeutic for me, and the way she performed it live made me love it even more. It was so moving that I even shed a tear.
Something special about the concert was how she seamlessly mashed up songs, keeping the setlist unpredictable and exciting. She also includes a cover at every show, and I was thrilled that she chose Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls — one of my all-time favorite songs. As she sang, a fancam moved around the entire coliseum, making the moment even sweeter.
For the encore, NIKI came out to perform her massive hit High School in Jakarta, which had the entire crowd jumping and singing along. It was pure energy and so much fun!
We, Filipinos, love our hugot music, and Backburner might as well be the national anthem for that. The song perfectly captures the feeling of being someone’s second choice and settling for it. Niki must have known how much we connected with it because she even changed a lyric to say, “Manila, I hope you don’t settle for that backburner,” making it the perfect way to end her show.
After that final song, the entire crowd erupted into chants of “Isa pa!” NIKI looked confused at first and had to ask around what we were shouting. When she finally understood, she smiled and said she could stay in Manila forever — but, unfortunately, she had to go.
Until next time, NIKI! What a cathartic experience.
My daughter Gabbie became a big fan of NIKI in 2022 when the singer-songwriter released the album Nicole as she was going through a breakup. The songs captured exactly what Gabbie was feeling at the time, making the album feel deeply personal.
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