To fully immerse in the multitudes of Indigenous rising star Nimkish is to honour the past, look ahead to the future, and bask in the resplendent present all at once. The Vancouver-based marvel-in-the-making is fearless in her lyricism, confronting anti-Indigenous racism and colonial violence alongside other hard subjects like anxiety, grief and heartache. To the great tradition of singer-songwriters healing through their music, Nimkish brings a bright-eyed aim to flourish in all she has experienced. Stylistically, Nimkish exists in a realm between Kehlani and King Princess, softly orbiting Sabrina Claudio. Her lyrics give affirmation to past pain while living in the moment. To some it may sound like escapism, to others it may sound like moxie-driven R&B-pop pulsing through the club. What’s certain is her fortitude — she’s an it-girl on a mission.

 

Damage Control was written and recorded in 2020, a year that caused so many to endure grief and loss. For Nimkish, grief was particularly sharp, having just lost her father, to whom she credits her musical interest. Each song on Damage Control documents a coping mechanism; the album is a map for moving through pain.

 

Nimkish’s honesty and resilience make her music a feat of strength. Having started out as a poet, she writes constantly, in notebooks and on her phone, a chronicler of emotional expeditions. She doesn’t just allude to hardship, she calls it out by name, taking command by shining a light directly into darkness. On Damage Control, Nimkish combines the coolness and creativity of the TikTok generation with the lucidity and confidence of a grown ass woman. The result is a cutting edge curation of revelatory tracks, truth and closure at their core.