Toronto-based singer-songwriter Niki Kennedy embraces vulnerability, cultural identity, and creative freedom on her debut album, The Space In Between.
Toronto-based singer-songwriter Niki Kennedy is embracing a new chapter of artistic freedom with her debut album, The Space In Between, a deeply personal collection of 12 songs exploring identity, vulnerability, uncertainty, and self-discovery.
Born and raised in New Zealand, Kennedy has built a musical identity that blends modern pop with elements of country, R&B, and reggae. After years of pursuing industry expectations, she made the decision to follow her own creative instincts, writing songs inspired by her experiences rather than what she felt she was supposed to create.
The album features the heartfelt single “Meant To Be,” a country-influenced ballad about finding hope in uncertainty and discovering a sense of belonging. It also highlights Kennedy’s Cook Islands Māori heritage through “Revolution,” which reached number one on the Indigenous Music Countdown and incorporates Te Reo Māori Kūki ʻĀirani.
Working alongside longtime collaborator Shane Stephenson, Kennedy brought the project to life entirely on her own terms, drawing inspiration from artists such as Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Tracy Chapman.
With The Space In Between, Kennedy offers listeners an intimate look at the experiences that have shaped her, while celebrating the freedom that comes with embracing who you are.
In this Niki Kennedy interview, we explore the stories behind The Space In Between, her connection to her Cook Islands Māori heritage, and the creative freedom that shaped her debut album.
Kennedy previously introduced listeners to the album with “Gardenias,” a heartfelt tribute to her grandmother. Read more about the song in our earlier feature on Niki Kennedy.
Niki Kennedy Interview: The Space In Between, Creative Freedom, and Finding Home
Hi Niki! Congratulations on the release of The Space In Between! Before we dive into the album, can you introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a little about your musical journey from New Zealand to Toronto?
Thank you so much. Absolutely! I am a singer-songwriter from Aotearoa New Zealand who moved across the world in pursuit of a dream, and I feel very lucky to now call Canada home. I started releasing music independently in 2018, and 8 years later, I’m excited to finally share my first full-length album, The Space In Between.
The Space In Between wasn’t originally intended to be an album, but rather a collection of songs reflecting your personal experiences. At what point did you realize these songs belonged together, and what does the album’s title mean to you personally?
These songs came from a period of time when I was writing and producing non-stop, almost obsessively. I wanted to throw convention out the window, and was really just trying just to show up vulnerably in my storytelling, even if it meant unmasking and confronting insecurities, frustrations, and fears. By removing expectations and limitations, I ended up with a catalogue of songs that felt true to me in this chapter of my artistry and my life, and I chose 12 of them to let go of and share with the world.
The album artwork features the koru, which is the spiral shape of an unfurling frond of the silver fern, which is native to NZ and considered representative of growth and life. I drew two of them, one emerging from roots on the back of the physical jacket, to symbolize connection to the earth, ancestors, and where I come from, and the other left open to represent the ongoing journey and a story still unwritten. While they meet in the middle, they don’t touch, leaving The Space In Between. For me, the title is a summation of all the messy human stuff in the grey area between the highs and lows of life and in the moments of figuring it all out along the way. It’s the trust of the journey without forgetting where I came from or where I hope to land.
Your new single, “Meant To Be,” explores finding hope in uncertainty and the complicated feeling of being far from home. Having built a life in Canada while maintaining your roots in New Zealand, has your definition of “home” changed over the years?
I think my experience living abroad has shown me that there are versions of ‘home’ we find and carry with us throughout our lives: in people, in places, and in ourselves. I feel incredibly blessed to be from such a special place and hope to share a little piece of that with the world, while also being grateful to live in and experience all this beautiful country has to offer.
The album moves between modern pop, country, R&B, and reggae influences while still feeling deeply personal. Did you intentionally set out to explore different sounds, or did each song naturally lead you toward its own musical identity?
I think one of the beautiful things about letting go of rules and expectations is that it creates space for experimentation and exploration in creative expression. I’ve always felt that genre was more of a marketing or classification tool than an artistic one, so by allowing myself to just show up and make music, I openly invited inspiration and influences into the work that could’ve otherwise been censored. I certainly challenged myself to create in various ways and with different sounds, but ultimately, I tried to serve the song and the story, letting it lead me to its final destination.
You worked with longtime friend and collaborator Shane Stephenson to bring the album across the finish line. How did having someone who knows you and your musical journey so well influence the recording process, especially with material this personal?
Shane is an incredible human who leads with such respect and a whole lot of heart, and it’s truly an honour to call him a friend. I do believe that given how long I had been working on these songs, having a fresh set of ears was so incredibly valuable, but also being met with the same level of care for this album and how we, as a team, were going to take it across the finish line was the game-changer. He never tried to influence the outcome, but offered me the space and time to articulate my vision and encouraged me to trust my instincts and ears. For that belief and safety, I will be forever grateful.
You’ve described The Space In Between as the work you’re proudest of creating. Now that you’ve made an album entirely on your own terms, what have you learned about the kind of artist you want to be, and where do you hope this new chapter takes you?
This project has given me my ‘why’ and how I want to lead moving forward: kindness above all, love as a form of resistance, and community over self. But I think it’s also taught me that often the most powerful thing about music is being able to see yourself in other people’s truth. So if I can be honest and vulnerable and show all that messy human stuff alongside the beauty and joy, then maybe it’ll allow someone to feel seen, heard, and a little less alone. And what a gift to reach someone like that. That’s what I hope for in this new chapter: finding those who need to hear it, one listener at a time.