Marquette singer-songwriter Niikah Hatfield has returned to music with the release of her new album "Creature," which came out July 29, 2025. The date held special meaning for her, as it coincided with her grandmother’s birthday, a connection that made the release feel like both a celebration and a tribute.
After taking a few years away from songwriting, Hatfield said the process of creating Creature rekindled her creative spark. The album became a way to reconnect with what she describes as the “thread” of herself, a guiding sense of curiosity and authenticity that runs through her work. Each of the seven tracks reflects different moments from her life, some written years ago and others completed during the recording session itself.
The project came together unexpectedly when longtime friend and sound engineer Jim Supanich encouraged Hatfield to record again. Supanich connected her with Jack Conners at Perfect World Studios downstate, where the three collaborated to capture the album in a single session this past January. The experience, Hatfield said, was both inspiring and affirming, giving new life to songs that had lingered in her repertoire.
Listen to Kurt Hauswirth's interview with Hatfield:
Musically, Creature blends Hatfield’s folk roots with ethereal textures, layered vocals, and subtle soundscapes. Tracks such as “Dancing on the Edge” and “Falling Softly” explore liminal spaces of longing and belonging, while “Beyond” emerged as a surprise favorite after a rough early take. The closing track includes lyrics in Romanian, a nod to Hatfield’s time studying abroad and her Eastern European heritage.
In addition to her music, Hatfield is a potter and the owner of Niik Creative Co. in Marquette, where she crafts handmade vessels. She sees parallels between clay and song, describing both as ways of shaping meaningful tools for daily life and human connection.
Hatfield plans to celebrate the release of Creature with a small gathering for family and friends, and hopes to perform a larger release show in Marquette later this year, with the possibility of taking her music on the road this winter.
The album is available now on streaming platforms, with CDs to be released soon.
The preceding interview was part of a broadcast of The Shuffle on August 16th, 2025.
