Nija Charles aspired to be a music producer as a child, or, as she puts it, “the female Pharrell.” She has, however, been nominated for a Grammy Award after “accidentally” getting into songwriting.
One of five new categories for the massive US industry expo in 2022 is Songwriter of the Year. This is so big that it just seems like a dream. She declares to BBC Newsbeat that this is history.
I believe that this is long overdue. I appreciate all the songwriters who worked to make this happen because it just makes sense to have it.
The 25-year-old has written songs for Drake, Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, and Beyoncé, and she was nominated for songs including Beyoncé’s Cozy.
But which feat is more impressive, receiving a Grammy nomination or writing a song that becomes the number-one hit for those stars?
There nearly seems to be no position higher than first. The number one song,” claims Nija.
But I’ve always wanted a Grammy nomination since I was a young child.
The Artist’s “vessel”
According to Nija Charles, there is a narrow line between writing songs for oneself and writing songs for other artists.
You must realize as a songwriter that you are not releasing this as yourself. This is an artistic endeavor.
You serve as a vessel for them. So if you want to tell a narrative, I can’t tell you that it’s false or that it should go in a particular direction.
But the writing process differs whether she is writing for someone else versus writing for herself.
If I’m writing for another artist, I do so from their perspective and I convey their tale and what they’ve been through.
However, I draw from my personal experiences and my vulnerabilities when I work in the studio for myself. Ninja declares that Beyoncé has improved her as a writer.
Working with her is always the greatest because of her positive energy, comprehension of her goals, and understanding of her vision for herself.
The journey in the music business can be unpredictable, as Nija’s story serves as a reminder.
Since I was 13 years old, I’ve been making beats, she claims. And I reasoned that if I sang over the rhythms, I could get my beats heard around the world.
They will return to me if they hear my songs and find out who wrote them. And another way that it worked out.
Then, producers began requesting that she sing over their tracks.
Nija has a remarkable list of artists she’s worked with, but she still has hopes of working with many more such as The Weeknd and Rihanna.
“And I truly want to work with Justin Bieber, my kid self wants to do it for me,” she says.
As is the norm with huge music awards, there is no guarantee Nija will win, but she thinks simply being nominated in the new category is a big accomplishment.
“I’m blessed to be recognized for my job,” she says. “It indicates development and advancement in the industry.”
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