Biography

Princess Chelsea is the recording project of New Zealand based producer Chelsea Nikkel. A classically trained pianist, Nikkel lent her talents to K road favourites Teen Wolf in the mid-2000s, and later in the touring lineup of The Brunettes. When she wasn't performing, she worked as a composer for a local recording studio, all the while refining her songwriting and production skills. Her debut as Princess Chelsea, Lil' Golden Book, was released in late 2011 and first set the template of her music with its sweet melodies, baroque musical arrangements, childlike vocal delivery, and lyrics filled with cynical wit. The album spawned the viral hit 'Cigarette Duet' with its 70 million+ YouTube views. Next was a synth-heavy concept album about a future world rendered helpless in the face of depression brought on by technology. The Great Cybernetic Depression was released by Lil' Chief and Flying Nun in June 2015 and followed soon after by an album of cover versions, Aftertouch. Chelsea reached new heights on Loneliest Girl, though the album continued to feature her trademark arrangements using classic 80s Synths, ambient guitars, and orchestral instruments but in a more refined manner than on her previous releases. This album spawned the hit 'I Love My Boyfriend' which has 15 million+ Spotify streams. Chelsea's newest single 'Everything is Going To Be Alright' with its echoes of Shangri-Las coupled with DIY dirgey guitars hints at a possible 'guitar album' in the works.