NIJI

London born NIJI has been playing piano all his life, turning professional aged 14 after being spotted performing at school by his local community music service. He continued to study both classical and jazz, embracing local groups and big bands to enhance his experience, alongside playing at church every week. This lead to his first commercial success, winning the Barking and Dagenham’s Rising Star Award in 2009.

NIJI now splits his time between the UK and NYC where he is the resident organist at Madison Square Garden, playing for the NY Knicks, as well as immersing himself in the thriving jazz scene. In 2015 NIJI released his debut album “Better Days Ahead” which charted at no. 3 in the iTunes Jazz Charts. “Late Nights Early Mornings” followed in 2017 also receiving iTunes Jazz Chart success alongside impressive press and a launch show at the iconic Oslo, Hackney. A tour accompanied the release, culminating in a prestigious Royal Albert Hall Elgar Room show in London.

2023 saw the return of NIJI (FKA Niji Adeleye) with a highly anticipated EP ‘Somewhere in the Middle’, drawing influences from jazz, classical, hip-hop, gospel and afrobeat (from his native Nigeria). NIJI received radio plays and support from the likes of Jamz Supernova, Gilles Peterson and Huey Morgan on 6Music and beyond.

Although he hadn’t released in a few years, NIJI had been busy touring with Harry Styles, Stormzy, Michelle Williams amongst others and working with the likes of Gregory Porter, Moses Boyd, Benji Flow and Beverly Knight. Working with such acclaimed artists has propelled his following and fan base to new levels and he returns in 2024 with a deluxe package of ‘Somewhere in the Middle’ featuring solo piano versions of this acclaimed EP and a new album expected in early 2025.