“Backburner”, Are You Sure You Are the Priority?

RIKHA KUMMALA (30802300021)

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In the middle of a lot of pop music that tells perfect fairy tale stories, NIKI's song Backburner comes as a reminder that love doesn't always mean being chosen. Released on August 12, 2022, in the album Nicole, this song has become one of the favorite songs for NIKI's fans, the “NIKI patients,” who feel the bitterness of being someone's “backup.”

From the start, NIKI, an Indonesian singer-songwriter now pursuing an international career with 88rising, has been known for the honesty of her lyrics, meaning that the lyrics she writes are based on her personal experiences. Her music not only tells stories but also opens up space for personal experiences that are often hidden by others. “Backburner” is one of the most prominent examples simple, fragile, yet piercing to the deepest parts of the heart.

The term “backburner” refers to someone who is kept as a second choice, not a priority, but not someone you want to let go of completely. This song describes someone who is aware that they are not the center of attention. However, instead of choosing to leave, they choose to stay. Not because they don't understand the situation, but because their love is too great to hold back.

 

It is this emotional struggle that makes this song feel so relevant to many people's experiences of love. “NIKI's patients” usually listen to this song to reminisce about relationships that lack clarity, while others listen because they feel that the song perfectly describes their life story.

From a psychological perspective, the situation depicted in Backburner is similar to anxious attachment, where someone willingly stays in an uncertain relationship out of fear of loss. Logically, they know the relationship is unhealthy. Yet emotionally, they are trapped in a bond that is difficult to break.

Behind it all, this song shows the perspective of love itself, which is that affection does not always follow logical rules. Sometimes we choose to stay, even though we know we are not the only one, let alone a priority.

With a rhythm that starts off slow but gradually picks up speed like an outpouring of emotion, accompanied by NIKI's soft voice that sounds like it's full of pent-up pain, NIKI successfully creates a melancholic atmosphere that isn't explosive, but rather poignant. Backburner isn't just about heartbreak; it's a portrait of determination, vulnerability, and the courage to love without guaranteeing a return.

Many listeners feel that this song “understands” them. Some play it on quiet nights while staring at their phone screens that never receive messages, while others use it as background music when trying to forget someone who only comes around when they need something.

Last but not least, Backburner isn't just a song about being second best. It's a reflection on how people often get caught between logic and feelings. About how we can keep going, even when we know that hope is one-sided.

Through honest lyrics and heartfelt music, NIKI conveys a message that is simple yet universal: love doesn't always bring happiness, but the courage to feel it is something worth cherishing. Backburner serves as proof that music can bring together people who have quietly stood in the same place behind, waiting, hoping, yet still loving.