Nia Archives has spoken to NME about the resurgence of jungle in recent years, and revealed that she is working on a “happier” new album. Read the interview below, or watch the video above.
The singer, producer and DJ caught up with NME this weekend while on the red carpet for the 2025 BRIT Awards, and discussed how drum n’ bass and jungle have seen a massive increase in popularity over the past three years.
This comes as Spotify shared some statistics at the end of 2024, confirming that streams for the genres had shot up by 94 per cent since 2021. Nia was listed among the most popular artists, alongside Chase & Status, Bou, Rudimental, goddard., Sub Focus and Charlotte Plank.
“Jungle and drum n’ bass always existed in the underground and historically always had crossover tunes, so it’s really cool to see younger people getting into the music,” Nia told NME. “I think having those crossover tunes has been bringing people into this [world of] underground music.”
She also made a nod to her cover of Jamie xx’s song ‘Waited All Night’, describing it as a crossover track where she hoped to create a blend of hardcore and jungle.
“He asked me if I’d do a remix and I was like ‘You know what, I’d love to’,” Nia explained. “I love his music and I wanted to make some happy-hardcore-meets-jungle fusion with it.” The original track was featured in Jamie xx’s latest album ‘In Waves’ and featured both Romy and Oliver Sim – his bandmates from The xx.
Sharing what fans can look forward to in 2025, the Bradford DJ shared that she is already working on the follow-up to her critically acclaimed ‘Silence Is Loud’ album, and is hoping to take her music in a more optimistic direction.
“I just want to make a new album. I want to enjoy my life, go on a couple of holidays, play a few festivals and live the dream,” she continued. “I’ve already made a few songs, so I’m just excited to create a better album than I did last time. I’m a bit happier than I was [with ‘Silence Is Loud’], so hopefully it’s a happier album than before.”
Nia Archives released her Mercury Prize-nominated debut LP last year, and was given a glowing four-star review by NME. “She exudes confidence and no longer hides her voice behind her wicked production skills,” it read.
“With each project, Nia waters the seeds of ideas and concepts she has planted throughout her discography. And, on her debut album, they all blossomed into a rich, self-reflective record that shows the artist beyond the beats.”
At the BRITs 2025, Nia was nominated for Best Dance Act alongside Becky Hill, Chase & Status and Fred Again.., although the award went to Charli XCX, who took home five trophies on the night. Find a full list of winners here.