2010 was a benchmark year for the young Miss Nika Roza Danilova. Under the moniker Zola Jesus, Nika released two stunning EP’s stateside via Sacred Bones, Stridulum and Valusia and abroad combined those (mostly) into her debut full length, Stridulum II, for Berlin based Souterrain Transmissions.
This year’s first single, “Night” earned the estimable Best New Music seal of approval just before she embarked on several very well attended SXSW appearances. The video for...
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2010 was a benchmark year for the young Miss Nika Roza Danilova. Under the moniker Zola Jesus, Nika released two stunning EP’s stateside via Sacred Bones, Stridulum and Valusia and abroad combined those (mostly) into her debut full length, Stridulum II, for Berlin based Souterrain Transmissions.
This year’s first single, “Night” earned the estimable Best New Music seal of approval just before she embarked on several very well attended SXSW appearances. The video for this song quickly elevated her to fashion icon as it appeared in several regions of Vogue and the NME declared her “goth’s new figurehead”. Nika was hand chosen by designer Angelos Frentzos to make her European debut performance in Milan during his fashion week show. Zola Jesus continued to play shows in various incarnations in various parts of the country every weekend from March until August.
Then she graduated college.
Immediately following, Nika and band embarked on three back-to-back tours of Europe and the US opening for Fever Ray, The xx and Warpaint amongst dozens of headline shows. She played Berlin Fest, Primavera Club, headlined Pitchfork’s Offline Fest and her live performances garnered reviews as stunning as her recorded output. Valusia was released mid-October while on tour, and contained one new song (read: secret weapon) not on Stridulum II-- Chris Coady produced single “Poor Animal”. This undeniable dance-floor masterpiece soared up the radio charts and continues to burn brightly on BBC 1 alongside her simultaneously ranking re-working of previous cut, “Sea Talk”. All three of these singles along with “I Can’t Stand” ranked among the New York Times, Pitchfork and LA Times’ singles of the year. Stridulum II appeared on NME and Uncut’s albums of the year. Having just completed her 1st US headline tour, Nika Danilova is about to embark on US and EU festival circuit, including stops at Pitchfork, Bestival, Electric Picnic, Big Chill and the Hollywood Bowl amongst others. To say her follow-up full length due in early October is merely highly anticipated may be a bit of an understatement.
Domestic
