NICKI KNIGHTZ: COLD NIGHTS, WARM TRUTHS

PHOTOGRAPHY JO VELOSO

‘Cold Nights In East’ is the latest release from one-to-watch Nicki Knightz - a raw, unflinching dive into trauma, fear, silence, and survival, rooted in her experience growing up in Hackney. It’s the first time she’s self-recorded her vocals, laid over a brooding beat by Swedish hip-hop producer Markmywords, and the result is a track that feels both defiant and delicate.

With a husky tone that cuts clean through the quiet and lyrics that hang in the air long after the beat fades, Nicki has that rare ability to tell stories that feel both deeply personal and somehow untouchable.

We caught up with her to talk about the making of the track, where she’s heading next as an artist, and why - while your environment may shape you - it never has to define you.

F Word: If you had to assign a temperature, a colour and a taste to this single, what would they be?

Nicki Knightz: This is such a sick question. I’d say Cold Nights in East gives off a cold temperature, no pun intended. It feels raw, real, and a bit of a shock to the system. Kind of like stepping out your front door on a freezing night in December, that sharp air that reminds you you’re alive.

Colour-wise, I’d go with navy. It’s dark, introspective, and moody, but it’s not completely stripped of warmth or hope. A lot of the verses dive into painful parts of my past, but then a line like “we gone be fine” in the hook breathes light into it. There’s weight, but there’s also survival.

And taste? Bit of a weird one, but I’d say chicken and waffles. It’s bittersweet. There’s comfort in there, but also grit, sweetness laid on top of something savoury, like a soft moment sitting on top of a hard truth.

FW: What was the biggest change you made to the single during the writing process?

NK: The biggest change I made was scrapping a whole verse and cutting the beat down. Normally, when I find a beat or someone sends one through, I feel like I have to fill every space. Like I’ve got to say everything I can. But this time, I felt like I’d already said enough. The third verse, which I rewrote twice, just wasn’t hitting. I wasn’t happy with it, so I let it go.

I also kept the hook really simple on purpose. I’ve got a habit of overcomplicating hooks and treating them like verses. I get too in my head about the lyrics and forget about the overall vibe. This time, I wanted it to feel more chanty, something that sticks. It didn’t need to be deep, just real.

FW: What are you hoping people will take from this song?

NK: I’m hoping people hear Cold Nights and either feel seen or, if they can’t relate, at least understand a different perspective. A different reality. I want it to build empathy for people who grew up around chaos and in areas that felt unstable from early on.

I feel like sometimes the way I come across, whether it’s how I dress, how I carry myself, or the things I do, people assume I’m far removed from where I come from. But it’s not about shame or distance. It’s about wanting better. And where I’m from, wanting better for yourself can get twisted. There’s this crabs in a bucket mentality that’s real. A lot of people hate to see someone grow because it reminds them of their own stuckness.

I wanted people to know I’ve seen the same things they’ve seen. I’m not different in that way. The pain, the fun, the madness, the love. We all shared that. But I also want to show that even in the middle of ends, good things exist. The friendships that become family. The people that hold you down through everything. There’s beauty in that too.

FW: What genre could you see yourself experimenting with for a future project?

NK: I’d definitely like to experiment with R&B. R&B is king to me. I’d even go as far as saying I love R&B more than hip-hop, especially as a listener. There’s something about the emotion in it, the melodies, the space it gives you to be soft but still say something real. I’d love to work with more singers on my future projects and bring that energy into what I do. I’ve even been thinking about trying some rappy singy stuff myself. My singing voice isn’t the best, but I feel like I could still do something light with the right tone and production behind it.

I’m also low-key open to doing something way different, like an afro house track. It would be sick if someone flipped one of my songs into that vibe. Something you could hear on a beach or at a festival, something that moves people physically but still has meaning. I’m open to sound evolving.

FW: If this single were the soundtrack to a film, what genre would the film be, and why?

NK:  Cold Nights in East would be the perfect soundtrack to a Top Boy movie, if that ever came to life. It just makes sense. That show is deeply rooted in Hackney and East London, and so am I. We’re speaking to the same people, the same kind of stories, and even the soundscape feels familiar. The lyrics, the mood, the setting, it all lines up. It’s that same feeling of tension and pride, pain and survival.

So yeah, I’d say the film genre would be a British crime drama. But not just guns and roads. One of those gritty but emotional ones, where you see what people are really carrying. Where it’s less about violence and more about what’s behind it. That quiet heartbreak. That need to prove yourself. That’s what I was trying to capture in the music too.

FW: Fuck, marry, kill: album, EP, single?

NK: I’d kill the album. My attention span is f’d at the moment. I don’t have the desire to make or listen to longer projects unless I really love the artist. I’d marry the single because that’s my current bag and something I’m properly committed to right now. EPs are cheeky though. I might fuck with one soon. They’re a nice little bitesize piece of art.

FW: If you had to choose a new career completely outside of anything having to do with music, what would it be?

NK: If I had to choose something completely outside of music, I’d still want it to involve writing. I’ve always wanted to write a book, and I’ve got a few ideas for screenplays too. I studied creative and professional writing at uni, so it would be nice to actually use those skills in a different format one day. If it wasn’t writing, I think something in fashion would be dope as well. I love how personal style can tell a story without saying a word.

FW: What’s bringing the most joy to your days lately?

NK: What’s bringing me the most joy lately is working on myself. Being more intentional with the decisions I make, and being honest with myself and the people around me. I’ve also cut down a lot on drinking. That was a big one for me because I was starting to feel awful afterwards, mentally and physically. Meeting new people has been bringing me peace in unexpected ways. Just getting out of the house, getting some sun, even walking with no destination. Those simple moments feel different now. They feel lighter.

FW: What advice do you have for yourself for tomorrow?

NK: Stop chasing perfection. Sometimes just showing up as you are is enough. And get out of your own head and your own way. You’ve held yourself back a lot in this life and missed opportunities just because of how you feel about yourself. Nicki, you’ve got this. Keep going.

FW: What is your favourite F-word?

NK: I’d say my favourite F word is “fits.” I’ve been doing a whole series on TikTok around them for the past year or so, and it’s been fun. It’s nice having something else to focus on outside of music, and the reception has been pretty good too which is dope. One thing about me is I’m always going to look good. That’s non-negotiable.