Somewhere, Rosemary Clooney is smiling at what she’s seeing and hearing. Nikki Vianna, the enchanting singer behind the catchy single “Done,” released “Mambo” today (Jan. 31). A spiritual successor to Rosemary’s 1955 hit, “Mambo Italiano,” Nikki’s song prominently features a sample from Rosemary’s original while bringing in a modern zhuzh to make the song her own. It’s an undeniable banger, showcasing Nikki’s incredible charisma as a singer. Her sultry delivery gets the body moving, and when she says “feel the heat / like we’re in Sicily,” it makes you break out in a sweat. Being Italian herself, the song is close to Nikki’s heart, and as it turns out, the video is also quite personal, too.
“It’s crazy to me, watching this video,” Nikki says to HollywoodLife, “because when I was 17 I was a waitress in a restaurant and I would actually gaze off into the tv when music videos would come on, mentally escaping from the job and like, plan out in my head how my music video would be one day. My boss would be like, ‘Stop daydreaming! Your table needs food!’ I told everyone I’m going to do that one day – be on tv and my music would be heard. They would be like, ‘Yeah, sure, ok.’”
The video is a cinematic marvel, one that effortlessly weaves in the Hollywood glamour of Rosemary’s heyday with Nikki’s own modern story. In black-and-white scenes, Nikki wears a classic headpiece that would make Carmen Miranda envious. Back in the present, waitress Nikki finds herself living out her superstar fantasy – both with the cooks in the kitchen and with the rest of the waitstaff out front. It’s a fun romp of a video that perfectly represents Nikki’s infectious spirit. “The music video is just so me,” she tells HollywoodLife. “I like to play different parts, It’s the actress in me. I love everything about it. Even in my music, sometimes I feel like I have the alter ego. So, the video’s not the far off!”
Nikki has come a long way. The Queen-born singer, songwriter, and pop star fell in love with singing as a child. A student of LaGuardia High School, she turned down Julliard to jump headfirst into her career. Independently releasing singles, her track “Let It Go” crossed 20 million views on YouTube. Collaborations with artists like Flo Rida and Poo Bear led her to Atlantic Records, where she was signed personally by Chairman and C.E.O. Craig Kallman.
“I’ve been through a lot on my road to get here,” Nikki says in a statement. “I put all of that into my lyrics and words. Music helped me get past so many situations. I hope I can affect and help listeners in the same way. You can jam to what I’m putting out, but it might touch you too. I’d love to inspire. That’s what I’m here to do.”