POLI NIKA’s ‘Remember Why’ - A Soulful Resurgence of Warmth, Purpose, and Presence

POLI NIKA returns in full bloom with Remember Why, a glistening EP that sees the Lisbon-based artist refine her sun-soaked blend of jazz, pop, and soul into something both timeless and strikingly fresh. It’s the sound of an artist reconnecting — to herself, her roots, and the pulse of genuine emotion — through music that hums with human touch and luminous sincerity.

There’s a sense of evolution here, not just in craft but in spirit. Since making Lisbon her home after leaving Russia in 2022, POLI NIKA has carved out a space defined by connection and community. Her live shows, often described as “heartfelt movie moments,” capture that same blend of cinematic intimacy and quiet strength that runs through Remember Why. Each song feels lived-in, born from experience, but lifted by hope.

Opening cut “Sunny Days” sets the tone — a breezy, jazz-inflected groove co-written with hitmaker Liz Rodrigues that feels like the moment sunlight filters through a window you’d forgotten was there. The production, handled by Theodore Lion, keeps everything grounded in real instruments: brass sections that breathe, percussion that pulses like a heartbeat. “Every bright song on this EP comes from knowing its opposite first,” POLI NIKA says. That duality — joy tempered by memory — gives the record its emotional weight.

The title track, “Remember Why,” distills the project’s essence: soulful keys, fluttering horns, and POLI NIKA’s radiant vocals converging in a moment of clarity. It’s less a song than a mantra — a reminder to return to what matters, even when the world feels dim. Across the record, her voice glows with both fragility and resolve, echoing influences from Emily King to Jordan Rakei but always remaining unmistakably her own.

In Remember Why, POLI NIKA delivers more than a collection of songs — she offers a meditation on resilience, rooted in real feeling. It’s an EP that doesn’t chase trends but instead carves its own luminous lane, reminding us that true artistry lies not in perfection, but in presence.