Local Spotlight | “Feelings” by Niki Dawson

Certainly there are countless singers who can emote a broad spectrum of sentiments despite a limited vocal range. (Bob Dylan comes to mind, though, many––myself included––find his vocal prowess to be somewhat underrated.) But when it comes to Niki Dawson, there are seemingly few, if any, limitations on what the Jacksonville singer can express. 

On a new single appropriately titled “Feelings”, Dawson flexes her singular vocal talent to dispense a laundry list of both lamentations and aspirations, expressing everything from melancholy and angst to cheerfulness and affection. Tracked live during a 2020 performance at Wildcrafters in Riverside, then mastered by Brok Mende at Friends of Friends recording in Springfield, the song finds Dawson backed by a crack band that lays a mid-tempo foundation that dances around a reggae-style keyboard skank. The band (Jamie King on background vox; Ihlan Magloire on guitar; Andres Aybar on bass; Marcus Douglas on keys; Terrell Johnson on drums) effortlessly rides the song’s emotional rollercoaster, allowing Dawson to dispense a breathtaking (live!) vocal performance.

Following Magliore’s shredding guitar solo, Dawson reaches what’s arguably the song’s highest vocal heights on the tune’s bridge, toying with the last word of the phrase as she hits all the notes. 

Dig into Dawson’s new song “Feelings” below. 

Check out JME’s Fresh Squeeze playlist on Spotify to hear more brand new cuts from local, regional, national and international artists, each one handpicked by the JME team.