Spring has arrived and you can hear it in the music! I’m here to tell you about yet another great vibe for your park hang playlist. A collaboration between Nicknames and kiyu brought us “Working Holiday” the Spring classic in question. If you’re not familiar with these two, they’re both incredibly talented artists coming from different backgrounds yet melding together so well. Nicknames has been building a fan base locally in New York City playing shows and curating a unique indie pop sound. kiyu grew up in Hong Kong with a range of influences on his music, he’s passionate about authenticity and using music as an alt pop outlet. 

The idea of a “Working Holiday” was somewhat inspired by the origin story of how this track came together. The two met at a show and felt a collaboration was most necessary, although Nicknames was moving to LA in just a few days. The pair managed to bring this track together while working remotely from Hong Kong, Toronto, NYC, and LA! The lyrics play into this idea of bopping around the globe, doing shows internationally, and enjoy the chaos of it all while working of course. The lyric “It’s hard to imagine a different life, if I had to drive to a 9 to 5” bring the core theme of certain careers being taken for granted at times. Being able to work and travel simultaneously is often a dream for many. 

The story is there, lets unpack the musicality of this infectious tune. The production makes you want to move and puts a good energy into the air. The hook is complimented by a truly eccentric bassline, bringing a carefree mentality with it. I love the duality of their voices kiyu brings a deeper alt pop sound almost crossing into hip-hop at certain points. Complimented by Nicknames higher notes reminiscent of rock, he has a truly unique voice and manipulates it so well to have a stand out tone making him identifiable on any song. 

Needless to say we should all be listening to “Working Holiday” channeling a luxurious lifestyle of city hopping and success. This song can be a little escape even if you’re listening from the comfort of your home. Take a mini holiday for three minutes and eight seconds as this track plays. I’m looking forward to what both kiyu and Nicknames have in store for us through the rest of this year! The two are working extremely hard at their individual careers and deserve all the support they can get!