Nia Archives on supporting Beyoncé, hangover cures and bringing huge “junglist energy” to Reading & Leeds 2024
nme.comNia Archives has spoken to NME about her experience supporting Beyoncé, as well as her plans for Reading & Leeds 2024 and top tips for surviving a post-rave hangover.The Yorkshire jungle and drum & bass star appeared on the red carpet at the launch of the Mercury Prize last week (Thursday July 25), where it was announced that she’d been shortlisted for acclaimed 2024 album ‘Silence Is Loud’ – facing off competition from records by the likes of Charli XCX, CMAT, Corinne Bailey Rae, The Last Dinner Party, Ghetts, English Teacher, Beth Gibbons, Barry Can’t Swim and more.“I’m an overwhelmed, emotional junglist right now,” she told NME shortly after the announcement. “All the albums that have been nominated are amazing.
It’s really cool to see a lot of Northern representation as well. I got to meet English Teacher and they seem like a really cool bunch.
I’m in great company.”While admitting that she’d “never say never” to an English Teacher collab, she also admitted that Charli XCX “definitely deserves” to win the Prize this year. “It’s ‘Brat summer‘!”Speaking of what went into her own record ‘Silence Is Loud’, the producer and DJ described it as “verbal diarrhoea of my life”.“All my experiences from the last 24 years are there all in one,” she said. “I was trying to explore different themes like dysfunctional familial relationships, unrequited love, unconditional love and loneliness.
That’s something I’ve dealt with a lot in my life, but I feel like a lot of people – especially post-lockdown – have experienced that as well.“It was really important for me to explore my attitude as a songwriter, and also merge different genres together: like jungle and Britpop, jungle and punk, jungle and Motown.
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