Nilka Opens Up About Spirituality and Mental Health on “Mercy”

Written from a place of deep anxiety and fear, Nilka’s “Mercy” is both undeniably danceable and incredibly powerful. The track finds the alt-pop singer breaking down her walls and allowing her weaknesses to show as she leans on the fortitude of faith. She explains that the track was written after losing her bartending job in the wake of the global pandemic and watching her husband work on the front lines as a paramedic.

“Fear and anxiety were swallowing me,” she says. “I leaned on my faith and God a lot, and although so many times I felt like I was just putting a new bandaid over a wound that wasn’t healing, I know it saved me from a truly dark place.”

Singing the word “mercy” with willful persistence over a dreamy trip-hop beat, Nilka brings listeners right into her mental fluctuations with profound candour. Speaking openly about her mental health and spirituality, Nilka sings, “A crack of thunder sends darkness over me. Eclipsing wonder with my anxieties. This storm is strong, but your love secures me. So I’m holding on, covered by mercy.”

Committed to practicing healthy habits for her own mental health despite still having bad days, Nilka shares what she’s learned. “Even if everything falls completely out of my control and I have to experience the worst-case scenario, I am still anchored by faith and love.” “Mercy” is Nilka’s fourth single off her 7-song collection, written from personal life and faith experiences through the pandemic.

Cover art for “Mercy” by Nilka