Nilsen and Steffen Ojala Søderholm, was influenced in particular by the pitch-shifted vocals incorporated by German hardcore group Scooter and a desire to capture this dancefloor euphoria elicited by the upbeat atmosphere of happy hardcore. Originating in the early 2000s, Nightcore, comprised of Thomas S. Given that many unfamiliar with the genre might associate the nightcore aesthetic with middle-aged white men, due to its originators and initial popularity within this demographic, this prominence amongst queer scenes offers a certain pertinent subversion to that norm.
Its strong anime aesthetic, too, which initially came about from this imagery being used as artwork befitting the high-pitched vocals, has fueled its resurgent popularity, especially among parts of queer club culture, as evidenced by the proliferation of queer artists, labels, and club nights incorporating the genre.
High-octane and high-pitched, this somewhat contentious subgenre of electronic music (also commonly known as nxc) ranks among the headiest, fastest, most deliriously fun forms of club music. That’s the exact kind of hyperactive madness nightcore embodies. The definition of nightcore, as coined by the original Norwegian duo of the same name, is as follows: “We are the core of the night, so you’ll dance all night long.”