Nija Steps Into The Spotlight With ‘What I Didn’t Say’
She has three Grammy nominations and multiple #1 Hot 100 hits under her belt as a songwriter, and now Nija is ready to become a star in her own right. The proud New Jersey native looks to take the next step with What I Didn’t Say, her anticipated new album, out now via Amnija LLC. The new project brings 10 immaculately-crafted R&B gems, each teeming with hooks as they tell concise stories about the highs and lows of young love. Whether she is emoting on ballads like the sultry “32nd Floor,” or kicking up the tempo on the shimmering “Back Outside,” Nija stuns with her sharp pen and smoky alto, alternating acrobatic vocal runs with rhythmic flows to express her deep feelings. What I Didn’t Say is the official follow-up to Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You, Nija’s 2022 debut.
The new project is home to recent singles like the Jack Rochon-produced “Heaven,” “I Just Called,” a tender duet with West Coast hitmaker Blxst, and last week’s “In Between,” a widescreen collaboration with Jordan Adetunji, while making room for new highlights to feed her fans. “Wild Wild” builds a dancefloor-ready banger out of a spindly guitar riff and subsonic bass, as the artist expresses her desire for “a little ol’ sinnin with the devil juice.” “Can’t Be Friends” is a Hudson River-spanning anthem that mixes the five-beat pattern of Nija’s local Jersey club, the skittering hi-hats of Bronx drill, and the harmonies of modern R&B. What I Didn’t Say starts on a quiet note, with “Hurt,” a heartbreaking, stripped down break-up tale: “Just say you want to hurt me like I hurt you,” she intones. Producers who helped Nija craft the record include Jack Rochon, Mike Hector, Christian McCurdy, Serge Dior, and more, with mixing from Teezio.
With singles covered in publications like UPROXX, VIBE, BET, Rated RnB, and more, What I Didn’t Say is the culmination of a new artistic era for Nija, an era which started in October 2024 with “Unruly,” a confident, bass-heavy single that harkened back to her origins with a special From The Block filmed in her Jersey hometown. The single earned praise from Billboard, Rated R&B, and BET, who said, “Now independent and carving her own path, ‘Unruly’ signals the start of an exciting new chapter in her career—one that brings her back to her roots while pushing boundaries in her sound.” In 2025, Nija wrote on “Shower Tears,” a collaboration between Cardi B and Summer Walker on Cardi B’s chart-topping album, AM I THE DRAMA?, and contributed to Summer Walker’s blockbuster trilogy-ender Finally Over It.
With What I Didn’t Say, Nija asserts herself as one of R&B’s key voices, equally powerful behind the mic as behind the scenes. Sit back and watch her rise.