POLI NIKA Confronts Fear and Intimacy with Vulnerable New Single “Don’t Mean to Hurt You”

“Sometimes the most honest songs come from the messiest, most uncomfortable places in our hearts. “Don’t Mean To Hurt You” was born from a deeply personal story that I lived through and that became the inspiration for this music.” -POLI NIKA

When I heard POLI NIKA’s “Rains in Lisbon” last month, it was love at first listen. A tender indie pop anthem, this heartfelt, soul-soaked sound has already garnered a massive following of new listeners from Portugal and beyond. It’s what makes videos like this, where POLI NIKA goes around her city and asks people to share their thoughts, so tender.

Now, she’s released her new song, a slow-burning, soul-baring track that feels like listening in on a candid conversation, “Don’t Mean to Hurt You” is POLI NIKA at her most vulnerable.

“The song emerged from a very personal struggle with fear and intimacy. I was caught in this painful loop where I desperately wanted to be close to someone I loved, but I was terrified of showing them the parts of me that felt too much, too anxious, too imperfect. The song became my way of rising above this painful situation — to look at it from a cosmic height, where you can see that love matters more than fears, and true intimacy is only possible through honesty, even when it’s frightening. This is a song for anyone who has ever been afraid that their authentic self might be too much for someone they love.” – POLI NIKA

With its soft build, haunting instrumentation, and emotional lyrics, “Don’t Mean to Hurt You” fits perfectly into POLI NIKA’s dreamy, cinematic soundscapes and honest storytelling. Her music evokes the sounds of artists like Lizzy McAlpine, Yebba, and Lianne La Havas, with a style that’s both ethereal and grounded, like a late-night conversation with your most trusted confidant.