After a relatively quiet year on the release front, Nikita Kering returns with her first offering of the year, the tender and emotionally rich “Dilly Darling.” The Kenyan singer, producer and songwriter taps into nostalgia on the poignant new single, revisiting young love through a lens that feels both intimate and cinematic.

Produced by fast-rising Kenyan producer Cap, with additional input from Nase, “Dilly Darling” sees the On Yah singer reflecting on a high-school romance, leaning into themes of unconditional love, devotion and emotional availability. It’s a story rooted in innocence, shaped by memory and delivered with warmth.

“I grew up watching a lot of Disney, Camp Rock and High School Musical, so I wanted to tell a story of my high-school lover in a way that emulates that,” Nikita shares.

Built around a stripped-back instrumental anchored by gentle guitar strums, the record gives Nikita’s honeyed vocals room to breathe. She glides over the blues-tinged production with ease, reminding listeners of the soulful sensibility that has become central to her artistry.

“I thought that a pop ballad with a guitar behind it would allow space for storytelling — so people could really hear and understand what I’m saying,” she adds.

Following a year that saw only two official studio releases — “Kama Hauna” with Scar Mkadinali and Ndovu Kuu, and the amapiano-leaning “Pendana Nawe” — Nikita has been deliberately low-key, spending time shaping new music. Outside of those releases, her voice also featured on “Haina Pressure,” the official opening theme for MTV’s Shuga Mashariki.

On “Dilly Darling,” Nikita leans fully into themes of love, intimacy and emotional warmth — pillars that continue to define her sound. The title itself plays on childhood memories of urgency and attentiveness.

“‘Dilly Darling’ is about not wasting time and being available for the person you love,” she explains. “When I was in primary school, teachers would always say ‘stop dilly-dallying’. For me, that idea became about urgency — being at the right place at the right time. In the context of this song, it’s about following that person’s lead without hesitation. Dilly Darling became wordplay for someone I’d never be late for.”

With “Dilly Darling,” Nikita Kering offers a soft yet assured return — one that feels deeply personal, emotionally grounded and true to the storytelling at the heart of her music.