Before the accolades, before the platinum plaques and GRAMMY nods, before her name quietly appeared in liner notes tied to some of the biggest songs of the last decade, Nija was a kid from New Jersey with a pen, a point of view, and an instinct for melody that refused to be ignored. That instinct would eventually make her one of the most trusted songwriters in modern R&B and pop—and now, one of its most compelling artists.
A proud New Jersey native, Nija’s rise has been anything but accidental. She is a three-time GRAMMY Award nominee, including a 2023 nomination for Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical, a distinction that places her among the most influential creative forces shaping contemporary music. Her impact has earned her a spot on Forbes 30 Under 30, Rolling Stone’s Future 25, and the kind of industry respect that comes not from hype, but from results.
Those results are everywhere. In between penning Hot 100-topping hits like Ariana Grande’s “Positions” and contributing to Beyoncé’s GRAMMY-winning Renaissance album on “Cozy,” Nija was quietly sharpening her own voice. A true multi-hyphenate, she built a reputation behind the scenes as a songwriter who could balance vulnerability with confidence, precision with emotion. But even as her words traveled the world through other artists, her own story remained front and center.
As a performer, Nija fuses the confident swagger of rap with the emotional depth of modern R&B, creating music that feels both self-assured and intimate. Teen Vogue once described her as an artist “priming herself for a takeover of the music industry,” and that promise has only grown clearer with time. Her songs emphasize a woman’s agency in love—control without coldness, softness without submission—while hinting at an impact that extends far beyond the microphone.
Her 2022 debut, Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You, formally introduced her as more than a songwriter stepping into the spotlight. It was a warning shot and a mission statement, signaling an artist fully aware of her power. Still, the chapters that followed would prove even more transformative. In October 2024, Nija entered a new era with “Unruly,” a bass-heavy, unapologetic single that marked her independence and creative rebirth. Shot in her Jersey hometown as part of a From The Blockperformance, the record symbolized both a return to her roots and a bold step forward. BET captured the moment perfectly, calling it “the start of an exciting new chapter in her career—one that brings her back to her roots while pushing boundaries in her sound.”
That chapter expands fully with What I Didn’t Say, her anticipated new album released via Amnija LLC. The project arrives as the official follow-up to her debut and stands as her most self-assured body of work to date. Across ten immaculately crafted R&B records, Nija tells concise, emotionally rich stories about the highs and lows of young love—what’s spoken, what’s withheld, and what lingers in between.
She glides effortlessly from the sultry vulnerability of “32nd Floor” to the kinetic shimmer of “Back Outside,” pairing her smoky alto with acrobatic vocal runs and rhythmic flows that mirror the push and pull of real emotion. The album opens quietly with “Hurt,” a stripped-down breakup confession that cuts deep in its restraint. From there, it expands into moments of release and temptation, like “Wild Wild,” a dancefloor-ready banger driven by spindly guitar riffs and subsonic bass, or “Can’t Be Friends,” a genre-blurring anthem that pulls from Jersey club rhythms, Bronx drill energy, and modern R&B harmonies.
Recent singles anchor the project, including the Jack Rochon-produced “Heaven,” the tender Blxst duet “I Just Called,” and “In Between,” a widescreen collaboration with Jordan Adetunji. Behind the boards, a trusted circle of collaborators—Jack Rochon, Mike Hector, Christian McCurdy, Serge Dior, and more—help bring the vision to life, with mixing handled by Teezio. The result is cohesive yet adventurous, polished yet raw.
Even as she steps forward as an artist, Nija’s pen remains in constant demand. In 2025, she contributed to “Shower Tears,” a collaboration between Cardi B and Summer Walker on Cardi’s chart-topping album AM I THE DRAMA?, and wrote on Summer Walker’s trilogy-ending release Finally Over It. These moments reinforce what the industry already knows: whether behind the scenes or front and center, Nija’s voice shapes the sound of now.
With What I Didn’t Say, Nija asserts herself as one of R&B’s key voices—equally powerful as a songwriter and as a performer. It’s the sound of an artist who has paid her dues, claimed her independence, and finally says exactly what she wants, on her own terms. Sit back and watch her rise.
