On last year's Nomad Diaries, vol 1 EP, sultry-voiced singer Miki Rose outfitted the alluring neo-soul set with songs that readily enveloped its listeners in warm vocals and lush-yet-wonderfully-woozy arrangements. Overarching the project was a simmering closeness from Miki that often made it feel as if the young chanteuse was curled up next to you on a soft, spacious couch singing sweetly to you and you alone. Since that release, the L.A.-by-way-of-London based artist has continued to hook listener's attention with a series of new singles – the latest of which is the breezy and bittersweet "Back to Complicated"
Rose offers up the "breezy" with her sophisticated, downtempo-informed take on modern R&B music. She fully saturates the room with her sleek, "come hither" tone and pillowy keyboards then tempers all of that silky soul with the crisp snares snaps and double-time hi-hats of producer Wes Jones' trap-styled rhythmics. The "bittersweet" comes in the form of the song's lyrics, which hints at the turbulence that Miki's "no strings attached" relationship begins to encounter when her lover starts to ask for something more committal than what they both previously enjoyed.
As a testament to the singer's teeming creative energy, "Back to Complicated" was hammered out by Rose and Jones during a two-hour writing session shortly after the two were introduced during a music industry event. Expanding on the song's creation as well as its theme, the singer explains "It was very easy. I basically just did a freestyle and we picked the best melodies and lyrics." She goes on to say "The song is about independence! I was inspired by recent personal events in my life. I thought I had made it clear that I didn't need saving. I don't think enough artists talk about the beauty of being single. How empowering it is to live for you."
Ultimately, this latest offering from Miki Rose is a nuanced and honesty-embracing mid-tempo beauty that continues to strengthen her identity as a fresh-voiced performer and creative. It doesn't take long to recognize her natural capacity for weaving blissfully chill selections that leave nu-soul fans such as myself wanting for more.
You can listen to "Back to Complicated" on all streaming services
