NIKI Shines Brighter than the Stars on Her Buzz World Tour

Written by: Ephney Tsai

Filling up the legendary Greek Theatre two nights in a row, NIKI brought her Buzz World Tour to the City of Stars for a dazzling show under the stars. With the Greek Theatre's outdoor setting and proximity to the Griffith Observatory, fans flocked to the venue for the chance to enjoy the singer-songwriter's music in such an unforgettable environment.

The show kicked off at 7:40 p.m. sharp as THAT BAND HONEY took the stage first. Performing their top tracks, like "something in the water," unreleased songs like "Cooler" and "Another Heartbreak," and even a cover of Billie Eilish's "BIRDS OF A FEATHER," the band's brief 20-minute set was the perfect start to the night. As Los Angeles locals, the band expressed their gratitude to NIKI and her fans for allowing them to perform in the famous theatre. They took a few seconds to really soak in the moment at the end of their set before exiting the stage as quickly as they appeared.

Following a 20-minute intermission, the next act up was Allison Ponthier. Just like main act NIKI, Allison is a singer-songwriter, though her songs have more of a recurring Sapphic theme. Running onto the stage lit up by a neon sign of her name, she kicked off her set by strumming her guitar to "Character Development" before easing into her next tracks with brief intros. "This next one's a little spooky, and also a little gay," she shared before performing "Hollywood Forever Cemetery." "This one is my lesbian serial killer song," she teased, before diving into "Skin." "This is a song I wrote for my girlfriend," she declared before "Lie Detector."

Allison also treated the crowd to unreleased songs like "Everywhere Isn't Texas" and "Handsome," and just like THAT BAND HONEY, she shared her utmost gratitude with the audience before her departure. "Last year, I actually attended a show here at this theatre, and I sat all the way up there," she began, pointing to the bleacher seats. "I had thought to myself, I have to perform here one day. I never thought it would happen so soon!" Wrapping up her 35-minute set with "Cowboy," she made her way backstage, and it was time for the star of the show.

NIKI, who set a dress code for fans to wear greens, browns, dark oranges, and earthy tones with a garden party theme, finally appeared on stage in a burnt orange maxi dress and a half-up hairdo. Kicking off her magical evening under the stars, she started with "Too Much Of A Good Thing" and "Colossal Loss," both of which had fans screaming the lyrics cathartically. Shifting to what she called her "sad girl music" briefly, NIKI performed "Backburner" before pausing to greet the audience. "There are so many of you," she exclaimed in awe. "Welcome to the Buzz World Tour!"

After performing "Focus" and a short medley of "lowkey" and "Autumn," NIKI set aside her guitar for "Magnets," focusing on her vocals. She spoke about being an eldest child and character development, before quickly picking her guitar back up for "Strong Girl," a sentimental track that nearly brought some audience members to tears. Mixing in songs of various genres, old and new, the setlist grouped tracks thematically. Sad, emotional songs like "Did You Like Her In The Morning" and "Take Care" invited everyone to cry together, while sentimental tracks like "La La Lost You" and "24" served as a love letter to her home, Los Angeles. Surprising the crowd, NIKI even performed special covers like Katy Perry's "The One That Got Away" and acoustic versions of songs like "Keeping Tabs."

Speaking about her album, she revealed that this specific venue was special. "I wrote Buzz about my early twenties. They’ve been filled with so much learning, and that's what I wrote about. You learn to live with uncertainty, and you learn that it's never just one thing or another; it's usually both. You can be soft yet strong, scared yet brave, and this is one of those things. This album is about straddling duality," she explained. "I wrote this album with venues like the Greek Theatre in mind, so tonight is really special. I sound like a broken record, but I'm so grateful to you all."

With plenty of somber, sentimental songs, it was time to bring up the mood for the finale. Concluding with "High School in Jakarta," "Tsunami," and the titular "Buzz," the show wrapped up in a full-circle moment. Just like the start of her set, these last three songs had everyone on their feet, jumping and dancing along to the music. The show perfectly showcased NIKI's talents, as she effortlessly switched between guitars and piano, hit each harmony and high note with ease, and commanded the stage like a veteran performer. Lighting up the Greek Theatre with sentimental, emotional, and uplifting songs of growth, NIKI truly shined the brightest under the stars.

Full Setlist:

THAT BAND HONEY:

• if it's okay (i just wanna say)

• something in the water

• Billie Eilish — BIRDS OF A FEATHER (cover)

• Cooler (unreleased)

• Another Heartbreak (unreleased)

Allison Ponthier:

• Character Development

• Hollywood Forever Cemetery

• Skin

• Lie Detector

• Everywhere Isn't Texas (unreleased)

• Handsome (unreleased)

• Crash Test Dummy

• Cowboy

NIKI:

• Too Much Of A Good Thing

• Colossal Loss

• Backburner

• Focus

• lowkey

• Autumn

• Magnets

• Strong Girl

• Blue Moon

• Katy Perry — The One That Got Away (cover)

• Did You Like Her In The Morning

• Keeping Tabs (Acoustic Version)

• Take Care

• La La Lost You (Acoustic Version)

• 24

• Oceans & Engines

• Heirloom Pain

• Before

• Nothing Can

• Paths

• High School in Jakarta

• Tsunami

• Buzz