Last summer could have been christened ‘the summer of Nia Archives’, so great was the reach of the young London-based artist. A staple on lineups across the country, appearing everywhere from festival stages to underground clubs, Nia Archives is part of a new generation of artists at the forefront of a Junglist movement set to take over the world.
Nia’s music draws on her dual Jamaican and British heritage; her unique jungle sound a product of the fact that she is as comfortable pulling pints in a pub as she is in a rave surrounded by Black music lovers dancing till sunrise. The Bradford-born and Leeds-raised musician got her start early. She taught herself piano aged eight, and by 12 she was already experimenting with music software like Logic. But while she’d proved adept at honing her skills solo, it was a move to Manchester where she made friends through raving and built a close-knit network of creatives, which proved life-changing. Finding her community was the catalyst for Nia to take music more seriously and begin releasing tracks. The rest, as they say, is history.
Now, with critically acclaimed releases including Headz Gone West, and the recent “Forbidden Feelingz”, Nia’s star is firmly on the rise. She picked up best producer at the Band Lab NME Awards 2022, and has received widespread praise for her compelling blend of neo soul, with gospel and jazz influences over frenetic breakbeats. Her lyricism is elite, and her singing conjures that feverish excitement of being young and living for the night out. She makes tracks that make you want to fall in love.
Text Gazelle Mba
