RIIKI SPRINKLES HOPE WITH HER SUMMER GROOVER “GOOD TIMES”
Image credit: Oscar Keys, Styling by Kate Stacey
RIIKI wraps up the year with her newest single release “Good Times”. Written by Raquel Abolins -Reid (aka RIIKI) whilst coming out of lockdown in New Zealand, the rising indie-popster hits the nail on the head around the whirlwind that 2020 has been. Produced with the help of Kiwi legend Simon Gooding (P!nk, Dua Lipa, GRAACE), the interchanging creative partnership between the two, deliver this groove
infused summer track, streaming on all platforms and services today.
The track isn’t at all a difficult topic to relate to for the vast majority of the nation, reflecting on the big changes this year has brought to the world. RIIKI metaphorically imagines seeing the “good times” as a physical person that comes to take her out of her bad place and into a better place, which she feels she hasn’t seen in a long time.
“Good Times” is a reminder to self that after any bad experience and slump in your life, good times must follow, even when you can’t see the future becoming brighter. RIIKI says “I truly believe in the quote that is ‘after any storm, there is a rainbow’. 2020 started on such a high for me, and then the world came crashing down. Covid-19 hit, my boyfriend broke up with me during the most heightened time of the pandemic, many issues in society had arisen and there was so much anger in the world.
At one point I had lost so much motivation and would cry nearly every day, but I knew I wasn’t the only one going through the feels, in fact, I started to feel slightly overridden with guilt when I knew people were going through a lot worse than I was. Writing this song has and still is helping me through the shit 2020 has thrown at me and the world, it really feels like my moving on song onto greater and better things. I am hopeful that good changes and times are coming for everyone and myself.”
CLICK TO LISTEN TO ‘GOOD TIMES’ NOW
RIIKI is bringing her tasteful sounds to NZ festivals this summer, including Bay Dreams, Sound Splash and Electric Avenue and plans on a headline NZ tour early 2021. A debut EP from RIIKI is also expected early next year.
RIIKI’s release ‘High Heights’ is a testimony to her wild creativity which drew inspiration from encountering seagulls at the beach. Following her debut single ‘One Day’, ’High Heights’ is RIIKI’s second-ever release, co-produced by Simon Gooding (projects include P!nk, Dua Lipa and Migos) which stunned an appearance’s on various NZ charts. The track also made it on Apple Music’s Alist Pop and New Music Daily playlist’s, and featured on Spotify’s New Music Friday playlists in NZ/AU, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Norway and also became the cover of the popular Spotify playlist ‘Pop Edge’. 'Share Your Luv' is RIIKI's latest single released in early June of this year which has placed in the top 5 Official NZ Music Charts NZ Hot Singles, placed in the top 20 Hot Singles and is currently placed at no.3 on the IMNZ Airplay Charts. Whilst also both 'High Heights' and 'Share Your Luv' have claimed a spot in the IMNZ Airplay top 10 since June.
Cover Artwork: Georgia Hood