Nia Archives has always been obsessed with jungle. Some people collect stamps or autographs; Nia Archives collects breakbeats. “I think I’ve got them all now,” the singer, songwriter, producer and breakout 2022 talent tells Apple Music. Endlessly inspired by the scene’s greats (she cites Roni Size and MC GQ) and its classical records, she’s intentional about sharing her knowledge, amassed over years spent in Manchester basement parties and hanging out on underground music forums. “I feel like you should always shine a light on what’s been before,” says the producer, who was born near Leeds then left for Manchester at 16. “I like to reference my references and give credit to the originals, the originators.” But Nia Archives’ music isn’t just shot through with knowing nods to the UK jungle scene that she’s so enamored with. It’s rich with gestures to her own life experiences, family members, and formative moments too. Her writing style is diaristic; her voice calm and intimate. On the face of it, Forbidden Feelingz is an EP geared towards the club or the sunlit festival stage. But repeat listens—and the stories beyond the songs—reveal a young woman finding her way, and claiming her stake. “I just wanted to make a project that reflects my life and to talk about navigating adulthood, facing my emotions, and all the stuff that comes with that,” she says. Here, Nia Archives runs through some of the references and reflections that went into the making of Forbidden Feelingz. “Ode 2 Maya Angelou” “I was a bit of a bookworm when I was a kid. My nana had all of her books on her bookcase and I used to read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou a lot. I really fell in love with the way that she wrote and the things that she wrote about. So I wanted to sample ‘Still I Rise’ here, her most famous poem. I think it’s really powerful, and it’s an important piece of Black history. A lot of people who listen to my music might not know these elements of history, so I feel empowered to educate people. I like to write songs that aren’t just what you’d expect.” “Forbidden Feelingz” “This tune’s a bit of a time machine. I’ve got the soundsystem, reggae influence and that old-school ’94 jungle sound and, like, three different basslines. For the drums, I took nine layers of breaks and chopped it all up—I listened to those drums on loop for hours into the night. I think this is probably one of my favorite songs I’ve made to date. It makes me feel like I’m like running, like I’m out of breath. I sampled Columbo in the intro because me and my Grandma Liz used to watch it when I was a kid. I wanted to sample it just to put a bit of me with her forever in the music.” 18 & Over” “I chose to sample Cocoa Tea’s ‘Young Lover’ because it’s a massive reggae tune, but there was more to it than that. I don’t know my dad, I’ve never met him in my life. He used to be a reggae and bashment DJ back in the ’90s on this Bradford radio station and, three years ago, I discovered his old SoundCloud page. It was the first time I’d seen a picture of him. I was like, ’S**t, that’s my entire face, I literally look exactly like him.’ Listening to the mixes that he’d done, it was pretty sick hearing his voice for the first time. And I heard him play ‘Young Lover’ and was like, ‘That’s a f**king tune.’ I had wanted to make a reggae-jungle tune, to make a fusion of my Jamaican heritage and jungle, which is so UK and so British. There’s so much of me in this project, and I think that’s what makes it. A lot of the older heads love it and that gasses me. The fact that it resonates with older generations and then also 18 year olds in a rave is amazing.” “Luv Like” “It’s quite laidback, and I was definitely feeling inspired by Roni Size / Reprazent, with the double bass vibe. I’ve not really done any features on any of my projects yet or really done collabs too much, because I did feel like I had to prove myself as a producer. For the past two years, everyone’s been saying to me, ‘Who produces your beats?’ And I do feel like I’ve had to proper prove myself. I feel like this project was my flag in the sand: I am a producer, I do make beats. Everyone always thinks it’s a love song, but I’m talking about my challenges with body dysmorphia and self love. I was nervous to talk about it, but the response I’ve got has been quite crazy. A lot of people messaged me saying they can really relate to it.” “Part Of Me” “I remember playing this to my manager after I made it. He said it had a LTJ Bukem vibe, and that was a big compliment for me. It’s definitely got that jazz influence. I’d been in a really bad friendship. It ended, I felt betrayed and it was a horrible situation. So the lyrics are just me trying to work through that in my brain.” “Gud Gudbyez” “I think the EP has got a range of emotions: the intro, then party songs and emotional songs—and this is definitely one of the more emotional ones. I guess it’s a break-up song, but I wasn’t writing about a break-up. It could be about anything that you’re saying goodbye to: a boyfriend or a girlfriend; marriage; a job; friends. I played it to my friend and they said it reminded them of Massive Attack with the way that it starts. That made me feel like, ‘OK, I’m doing something that’s on that UK sound.’ I’m always thinking about that; I want to push that sound.”