Argentine singer Nicki Nicole has released “Ojos Verdes,” a new cumbia track that celebrates self-love and moving on from a relationship. The title of the song, which translates to “Green Eyes,” references the singer’s distinctive green eyes. Throughout the song, Nicki sings to an ex-lover, expressing her confidence that he will never find anyone like her. She sings, “I know you’re with someone else but thinking of me/And you give her the kisses I once gave you/Who are you going to deceive, who are you going to lie to/Saying you don’t miss me.”
Nicki wrote the song at the end of January, explaining that she realized she always made songs about her feelings for others but never about herself. She felt this was a good concept, saying, “It goes beyond the actual eyes and the physical. It’s saying, ‘Good luck finding in someone else what only I have.’ It’s like ‘My essence is something you won’t find in another person.’ And I think people are going with identify that.”
The artist also revealed that she had been wanting to try cumbia, a style she’s loved since she was a child. However, she admitted to being nervous about testing out the sound on her own. Nicki previously sang a version of the genre on “Otra Noche” with Mexican outfit Los Ángeles Azules, but for “Ojos Verdes,” she wanted to do it solo. She said, “The fact that it’s cumbia I did very specifically. I felt this era after Alma had to represent my real roots, which are what I’ve been listening to as a kid. I come from Rosario [Argentina] and my brothers showed me everything they listened to, and a lot of that was all kinds of nostalgic cumbia. That’s what I wanted to nod toward with this song.” She added, “I want it to be one of those cumbias that when the party is winding down, you put this on, and it turns things back on.”
The video for “Ojos Verdes,” directed by Facundo Ballve, was shot on Super 8 film and captures the nostalgic vibe Nicki says she was after. Several scenes focus on her eyes and show her playing with a red rose, which seems to nod at an old romance. (Nicki recently broke up with Mexican artist Peso Pluma.) However, she says she wants people to walk away with a sense of empowerment and self-pride. She explained, “What I wanted to do with this song is for people to celebrate what makes them unique.”
Nicki recently announced her first U.S. tour, which includes stops in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles. She’s also been playing the festival circuit, making appearances Coachella, Vibra Urbana, Calibash and This Aint No Picnic.
