LA Native Niki Black Delivers a “Hallelujah” Worthy of the Greats

When you talk about famous Hallelujahs, two main tunes come to mind: Leonard Cohen’s timeless original, and Jeff Buckley’s uncompromising cover. While R&B singer Niki Black’s “Hallelujah” isn’t a cover, it’s an empowered sermon on finding one’s independence amidst a troubled, naive relationship.

Both “Hallelujah” and Black’s first single, “Not Coming Up,” are part of a full album called Lilith, which is set to drop this spring. “I’m looking at Lilith as a spiritual entity,” says Black, who was born and raised in Los Angeles and is of Iranian-American descent. “After dealing with some of the more unfortunate parts of the music business—which led to a feeling of haziness—I am feeling more powerful than ever. I see a great future for the songs on Lilith. I know they will inspire and uplift.”

You can listen to “Hallelujah” (featuring NISHA) here.