East London-born pianist, composer, and musical director NIJI has spent over a decade building a reputation that most artists only dream about. He serves as resident organist for the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, splits his time between London and New York City, and has worked as musical director and band leader for Harry Styles, Stormzy, Lizzo, Charlie Puth, and Michelle Williams - a live CV that speaks for itself.
His collaborations tell a similar story: Gregory Porter, Moses Boyd, Alex Isley, and Afronaut Zu are the kind of names that appear when the best musicians in a room are asked who they rate.
In February 2025, NIJI released Oríkì - his most personal and fully realised work to date. Rooted in his Yorùbá heritage, the album draws on the West African tradition of the oríkì, a form of oral praise poetry that carries the history and stories of a family across generations. In NIJI's words: "Oríkì is my musical praise report, where the past meets the present, and paints the future".
The album weaves jazz with that cultural depth, and earlier this year NIJI took it across Europe, including the Netherlands.
The music is unhurried, grounded, and built to last - exactly what you'd expect from someone who has spent years in the rooms where the real work happens.
