Niki Zefanya seolah bernostalgia melalui lagu High School in Jakarta. Walau konsep video klipnya sempat dikritik karena tak sesuai gambaran suasana sekolah di Jakarta pada umumnya, lirik lagu “High School in Jakarta” yang ditulis sendiri oleh Niki serta diproduseri Jacob Ray dan Reske ini tetap mencuri perhatian pecinta musik.
Lagu ini bergenre musik alternatif/indie dan R&B/soul ini memang lebih menitikberatkan pada pengalaman Niki selama di bangku SMA. Pada liriknya terdengar bahwa salah satu temannya yang asli Amerika Serikat pulang kampung. Lirik kemudian berkembang menjadi banyak hal.
Selain itu, dalam lirik juga terdapat kisah cinta Niki saat menyukai seorang laki-laki kemudian bermesraan pada hari Halloween. Akhir kisah cinta ini berujung pada hancurnya hati Niki lantaran melihat wanita lain sedang bersama laki-laki yang disukainya.
Berikut lirik lagu High School in Jakarta.
Didn’t you hear Amanda’s movin’ back to Colorado?
It’s 2013 and the end of my life
Freshman’s year’s about to plummet just a little harder
But it didn’t ’cause we kissed on that Halloween night
I bleached half my hair when I saw Zoe on your Vespa
It was orange from three percent peroxide, thanks to you
I needed a good cry, I headed right to Kendra’s
I hated you and I hoped to God that you knew
Now there’s drama (drama), found a club for that
Where I met ya (met ya), had a heart attack
Yadda, yadda, at the end, yeah, we burned
Made a couple U-turns, you were it ’til you weren’t, mm
High school in Jakarta, sorta modern Sparta
Had no chance against the teenage suburban armadas
We were a sonata, thanks to tight-lipped fathers
Yeah, livin’ under that was hard, but I loved you harder
High school in Jakarta, an elaborate saga
I still hate you for makin’ me wish I came out smarter
You love-hate your mother, so do I
Could’ve ended different, then again
We went to high school in Jakarta
Got a group assignment, I’ll be at Val’s place
You don’t text at all and only call when you’re off your face
I’m petty and say, “Call me when you’re not unstable”
I lie and tell you I’ll be getting drunk at Rachel’s
I wasn’t, she doesn’t even drink
But I couldn’t have you sit there and think
That you’re better ’cause you’re older
Are you better now that we’re older?
High school in Jakarta, sorta modern Sparta
Had no chance against the teenage suburban armadas
We were a sonata, thanks to tight-lipped fathers
Yeah, livin’ under that was hard, but I loved you harder
High school in Jakarta, a comedy drama
I still hate you for makin’ me wish I came out smarter
You love-hate your mother, so do I
Could’ve ended different, then again
We went to high school in Jakarta
Natasha’s movin’ to New York (New York)
Probably sometime in August (ah)
And I’m spendin’ the summer in Singapore (ah)
I’m so sad I can’t tell you shit anymore
I made friends with Abby this year (this is how I met your mom) (oh, my God)
We’re movin’ in in March or so
And although you bring me to tears
I’m glad that we gave it a go
High school in Jakarta, American summer
Had no chance against the Marxist girl with marijuana
I was your pinata, she was a star-charter
Glad she gave it to you real hard, but I loved you harder
High school in Jakarta, I won’t, but I wanna
Ask you when you talk about it, do I ever come up?
Say thanks to your mama, now we’re through
Could’ve ended different, then again
We went to high school in Jakarta