The Silence is Louder: Nia Archives Makes History as the First Jungle Artist to be Nominated for the 2024 Mercury Prize Award in 25 Years

Photo Credit: Lola Banet

Nia Archives, the young jungle starlet who has become a household name, has been shortlisted for the 2024 Mercury Prize. Her stellar debut album, Silence is Loud, has been shortlisted. This feat marks a significant milestone for jungle music, as she becomes the first artist since Roni Size, who won the prize in 1997 for his album New Forms, to receive a nomination.

The honouring comes at just the right time and has surely been a nomination in the making. After a stellar introduction to the music industry, Nia has grown to immeasurable heights and continually sets the bar higher - for herself, her peers, and jungle fans. From Fifa soundtracks to sold-out shows and being one of the recipients of Apple Music’s Up Next for UK artists, long gone are the days when this DJing pioneer flew under the radar. Now, she’s at the top, and I’m sure the view looks great.

Silence is Loud is an impressive body of work, rooted and grounded in jungle but spanning across multiple genres, from pop and alt-rock rhythms seeping - or punching - through. In true Gen-Z style, the album displays the beauty of what occurs when one’s experimentation knows no bounds, and clearly, that is the case for Bradford-born Nia, who continues to champion the genre and the women - established and unsung - within it.

On September 19th, 2024, Nia will embark on a long 28-date global tour, taking her from her home in the UK to Melbourne and from British Columbia to New Zealand. The energetic and buzzing artist’s live shows, which she’s become sought after for, are promised to be a real treat. Tickets are on sale now—get ready to rumble.