Listen everywhere.

MUSIC TEAM

Josh Deutsch – trumpet

Greg LaPine – tenor sax

Juancho Herrera – electric guitar

Carlos Henderson – electric bass

Yayo Serka – drums

Written by Nikolett Pankovits

Arranged by Josh Deutsch

Produced by Juancho Herrera, Josh Deutsch, Nikolett Pankovits

Recorded by Marc Urselli at Eastside Sound Studio, New York City

Mixed and mastered by Dave Darlington at Bass Hit Recording, New York City

Cover photo by Timea Jaksa

Dedicated to our dear friend, Carol Levin.

Last but not least: Happy birthday Dad!

‘Red Dress’ is coming out on March 16th!

Stream/download here.

The “One-Line Song” - the story of my upcoming single ‘Red Dress’

I am indeed a procrastinator, but sometimes it hits me that life is too short - or who knows how much time we have left. Then suddenly, I flip the switch and make things happen.

—

Phase 1 – The spark

In 2021, while researching poems for the Colors concept album I’ve been working on, I found a translation of a Rilke poem. A little girl in Red Dress walking down the street and feeling free. When she grows up, she remembers how she felt wearing it. I wanted to feel like that little girl again, without overthinking, just being in the moment. I saved the poem and put the idea on my to-do list.

—

Phase 2 – One line

4 years later, the song was still on my list. In April, 2025, I recorded one line with the piano. A voice memo.

—

Phase 3 – The musicians appear

I went to hear a jazz trio at Close Up in New York. It made me think about the song again and suddenly the musicians I wanted to record it with appeared clearly in my mind.

—

Phase 4 – The deadline

Then came the usual: procrastination, ADHD, overthinking.

I had a flight to Budapest on Friday, but wanted to record the song before leaving. So I thought: what if I book the studio so I have a deadline to finish the song?

If Thursday worked for all the musicians I had in mind, I’d do it.

It was a long shot but everyone was available so I booked the studio.

—

Phase 5 – No escape

I asked my dear friend and partner in musical crimes, Josh Deutsch, to help me with the horn arrangement.

On Monday he asked me to send the song. I had cornered myself, no way out...so I finished it that night and Josh wrote a beautiful arrangement over the next 2 days.

—

Phase 6 – The session

No rehearsal. We went straight into EastSide Sound Studio and built the song together live. Every musician added their ideas as we shaped the song into Red Dress.

Josh Deutsch - trumpet, Greg LaPine /tenor sax/, Juancho Herrera /electric guitar/, Carlos Henderson /electric bass/, Yayo Serka /drums-percussion/ with the great sound engineer, Marc Urselli.

—

Phase 7 – The name

We visited our dear friend David Darlington to mix and master the song. Juancho joined me as co-producer, and when I told David the whole story, he laughed and said,

“Then we should just call it the one-line song.”

So be it.

“Red Dress” comes out March 16.

Dedicated to our dear friend, Carol Levin.

Thanks to Makoto for the pictures!

#newsong #colors #red #poetry

“On behalf of everyone at ISC and our judges, we are very pleased to inform you that the song "White Night" has been awarded an Honorable Mention in the Jazz category in the 2024 International Songwriting Competition (ISC). Congratulations on this outstanding achievement.”

With almost 14,000 entries from over 112 countries worldwide, I am very grateful!

Congratulations to this year's ISC winners and composers!

Check out my interview with Bold Journey:

https://boldjourney.com/news/meet-nikolett-pankovits/

New music video is out for my song “White Night”!
It was a very exciting creative process to plan it, shoot it and finally see the beautiful imagery that Aron Jaksa created!
Huge shoutout to the incredible team, Aron Jaksa & Juancho Herrera!
Thank you for your relentless work and creativity at the shooting!

Special thanks to Zsofi, Borcsa, Milli and Luciana!
Thanks to my Mom for all the props like the Sokol radio, luggage and those old family pictures

“White Night” is based on three poems by legendary Russian poet Anna Akhmatova (1889-1966), with Pankovits’ own lyrics condensing them into two verses. The poems range from Akhmatova’s first book of poems, published in 1912: Vecher (Evening), to work from the 1960s, a few years before her death.

The music video was inspired by events from Anna Akhmatova's life and her poems.

VIDEO CREDITS

Created by Aron Jaksa - http://instagram.com/aronjaksa/
Script written by Nikolett Pankovits, Aron Jaksa and Juancho Herrera
Production assistant: Juancho Herrera / https://www.juanchoherrera.com
Make up & hair by Liv Rideg: https://www.instagram.com/livridegofficial/

Stream/download song: https://fanlink.tv/whitenight

___________________________________________________

About the story:

“To avoid persecution by Stalin, the poet Anna Akhmatova burnt her writings and instead taught a circle of friends the words of her poem Requiem off by heart. By going ‘pre-Gutenberg’ she ensured its survival....” - Martin Puchner

Read full BBC article about Anna Akhmatova:
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20180515-requiem-how-a-poem-resisted-stalin

SONG CREDITS
Released on March 5, 2024
Song written by Nikolett Pankovits
Lyrics by Nikolett Pankovits
Based on poems by Anna Akhmatova: Moscow trefoil: Almost into the album, White Night, Song of the Last Meeting

LYRICS
There will be thunder then. Remember me.
You’ll say ‘ She asked for storms.’
The entire world will turn the color of crimson stone,
and your heart as then, will turn to fire.

That day, in Moscow, a true prophecy,
when for the last time I say goodbye,
soaring to the heavens that I longed to see,
leaving my shadow here in the sky.

See that dark house again.
Only one candle glows,
A yellow, complacent, flame.
See, how the fields die down,
In the sunset gloom of firs,
I still hear the echo of your voice

That day, in Moscow, a true prophecy,
when for the last time I say goodbye,
soaring to the heavens that I longed to see,
leaving my shadow here in the sky.

MUSICIANS
Nikolett Pankovits – voice
Josh Deutsch – trumpet
Juancho Herrera – guitar
Manu Koch – piano
Bam Rodriguez – upright bass
Franco Pinna – drums

RECORDED BY
Marc Urselli at Eastside Sound Studio, New York City

MIXED AND MASTERED BY
Dave Darlington at Bass Hit Recording, New York City

PRODUCER
Nikolett Pankovits

“White Night” is based on three poems by legendary Russian poet Anna Akhmatova (1889-1966), with Pankovits’ own lyrics condensing them into two verses. The poems range from Akhmatova’s first book of poems, published in 1912: Vecher (Evening), to work from the 1960s, a few years before her death.
The three poems are about parting, loss, and memory, sometimes bittersweet, the complexity of love and its end and remembering it or anticipating remembering it.

​Plaintive trumpet and piano set the mood for a beautiful mid-tempo ballad that can stand, musically and lyrically and vocally, with the best of Joni Mitchell’s and Sade’s relationship ruminations. It’s jazz yet also beyond genre—an adult pop song. Trumpet obligatos shadow the vocal like memory commenting on/reacting to the actual events. The song’s four-and-a-half minutes fly by, squeezing a wealth of emotion into a short, easily flowing structure of masterful songwriting and arrangement.

“White Night” is being released on the 58th anniversary of Akhmatova’s death. 

lyrics

LYRICS:
There will be thunder then. Remember me.
You’ll say ‘ She asked for storms.’
The entire world will turn the color of crimson stone,
and your heart as then, will turn to fire.

That day, in Moscow, a true prophecy,
when for the last time I say goodbye,

soaring to the heavens that I longed to see,
leaving my shadow here in the sky.

See that dark house again.
Only one candle glows,
A yellow, complacent, flame.

See, how the fields die down,
In the sunset gloom of firs,
I still hear the echo of your voice

That day, in Moscow, a true prophecy,
when for the last time I say goodbye,
soaring to the heavens that I longed to see,
leaving my shadow here in the sky.

Lyrics by Nikolett Pankovits

Based on poems by Anna Akhmatova: Moscow trefoil: Almost into the album, White Night, Song of the Last Meeting

credits

released March 5, 2024
Nikolett Pankovits – voice
Josh Deutsch – trumpet
Juancho Herrera – guitar
Manu Koch – piano
Bam Rodriguez – upright bass
Franco Pinna – drums

Music by Nikolett Pankovits
Lyrics by Nikolett Pankovits – based on poems by Anna Akhmatova: Moscow trefoil: Almost into the album, White Night, Song of the Last Meeting

RECORDED BY
Marc Urselli at Eastside Sound Studio, New York City

MIXED AND MASTERED BY
Dave Darlington at Bass Hit Recording, New York City

PRODUCER
Nikolett Pankovits

DESIGNER
Dragana/Aleksandar

PHOTO BY
Tímea Jaksa

My new single ‘White Night’ is coming out on March 5th!
Here is a sneak peak of the recording session at Eastside Sound Studio in New York 😉
Thanks to Owlee Production for the video! /Owleeproduction.com/

#newsong #colors #white #poetry

We’ve recorded a beautiful Hungarian song, ‘Várlak’ (Waiting for you) that I used to sing with my father when I was a child.
It was written by one of the best Hungarian composers, Gábor Presser. His songs resonate with so many generations. Thank you Pici for this beautiful song and inspiration!

Thanks to Juancho Herrera for playing the guitar so beautifully and Lázár Todoroff for the video & audio recording! It was a true pleasure to create with both of you.

I dedicate this song to my father. Thank you for all the music that you showed me!

Special thanks to Studio Madison for the space and for all the help & support to Tímea Jaksa, Kati Néveri and Pál Szabó! https://studiomadison.hu