OUT NOW VIA HIJINXX/ISLAND RECORDS/UNIVERSAL MUSIC CANADA
The unstoppable Nia Archives made her eagerly anticipated return with “Crowded Roomz”. The epitome of a sad banger, “Crowded Roomz” was written after a festival last summer and examines her life on tour, constantly surrounded by people, but not necessarily those she can be herself around. Rich with rippling guitar lines cutting taut through jungle drums, Nia’s person al experience and intimate lyrics speak on themes of loneliness and social anxiety, uniting us all in the universal experience of feeling like an observer in this chaotic world.
To celebrate the release, she shares an incredible video directed by Nicolee Tsin which reflects this sentiment in a timeless and iconic one take, tracking Nia through endless roomz whilst lives unfold around her. From the studio, to her mates house, to the tube, to the rave, the video is a smorgasbord of intrinsically UK cultural touch points and Nia’s friends with cameos from Maverick Sabre, Corbin Shaw, Intranet Girl and others. From vintage rave flyers, Corbin Shaw flags and Vivienne Westwood shopping bags, to the epochal red “Junglist Movement” T-shirt made famous by the cult British film Human Traffic and the “Bad Gyalz” licence plate, this video an exemplar of Nia Archives 360 creative direction and world building.
The first solo release since her A Quintessentially Junglist Summer bangers “Off Wiv Ya Headz” and “Bad Gyalz” last year which was capped off with Nia starring in the JD Sports Christmas advert alongside Central Cee and Kano, gracing the December cover of DJ Mag, a sold out 10,000 ticket “UP YA ARCHIVES” takeover Warehouse Project and a remix of Fred Again’s “leavemealone”, “Crowded Rooms” marks Nia’s return to more personal lyricism and her ambitious collagist soundscapes tested on most recent EP Sunrise Bang Ur Head Against Tha Wall – sonically and visually setting the tone for this exciting next chapter.
Coming up next, Nia Archives is heading on an 8-date tour to Australia and New Zealand in January and February.
About Nia Archies
Nia Archives is not interested in being one fixed thing. Since emerging in 2020, the 24-year-old producer, DJ, singer and songwriter has been at the forefront of the latest era of jungle and boasts a slew of critically acclaimed EPs under her belt – Headz Gone West, Forbidden Feelingz and Sunrise Bang Ur Head Against Tha Wall. The Bradford-born, Leeds-raised artist has garnered accolades including placing third in the prestigious BBC Sound Poll for 2023, alongside a nomination for the Brit Awards’ Rising Star prize, plus wins at the DJ Mag, NME, the MOBOs and Artist and Manager Awards. She has also toured the world – be it North America, Europe or Asia – and even opened a show in London as part of Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour. She’s renowned as a party-starter in her own right, too, with takeovers at Glastonbury, Warehouse Project and her own Bad Gyalz day event. She’s done official remixes for the likes of Jorja Smith, had a huge summer hit with her Yeah Yeah Yeahs rework ‘Off Wiv Ya Headz’, and worked with brands like Corteiz, Nike, Flannels, Burberry, FIFA, Apple and JD Sports. A bona-fide press darling with nods from British Vogue, Crack, GQ, The Fader, Pitchfork and more, in just three years, Nia Archives has become a need-to-know name in dance music.
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