This is a fantastic debut for Sakiru. Starlight captures that late-night energy perfectly, and the city-pop influence gives it a really cool, nostalgic shimmer that fits the indie-pop genre well. I love the way the song builds throughout the track; the contrast between those soft, introspective verses and the more urgent, emotional chorus is executed beautifully.
The production does a great job of staying minimal and atmospheric, allowing the vocal phrasing to really carry the weight of the lyrics. It feels very intimate, which clearly aligns with the goals for this new project. To help the track feel even more cohesive for the release, I have a few constructive thoughts on the mix.
Right now, the vocals feel a bit too forward compared to the rest of the instrumental. While the vocal performance is the star, bringing them back into the mix slightly would help them "sit" inside the atmosphere rather than floating on top of it. Sonically, the instrumental could also benefit from being a bit warmer, particularly the drums and the bass. Giving the low end more "roundness" would really enhance that late-night, alt-R&B vibe you are going for.
I did notice a couple of small clicks in the vocal track around the 3:00 mark. It is worth checking to see if those are tiny edit pops or artifacts that can be cleaned up, as they can be a bit distracting during such a pivotal moment in the song.
Lastly, it could be really effective to lean into more vocal effects as the song reaches its peak. Adding some lush delays or spacey reverbs on words like "starlight" toward the end would emphasize the dreamlike, city-pop aesthetic and give the listener that final sense of giving in completely to the moment.
Overall, this is a really cool and polished debut. It sets a strong tone for what is to come, and the balance of self-awareness and emotion is handled with a lot of maturity. I am excited to see where Sakiru takes this new identity!