Nalija was born and raised in Malmö, southern Sweden but found her home in the sound of American Soul/R&B by the young age of six. By the release of ‘Cooleyhighharmony’ in 1991, Boyz II Men became the lighthouse for her musical curiosity, leading the way to the sounds of Babyface, Brian McKnight, Brandy and Lauryn Hill to name a few.
By the age of 13, Nalija was introduced to salsa and fell in love with dancing and every nuance of the culture. The rhythm of Latin music resonated the same way Soul/R&B did – it made her feel at home. By the age of 17 she took her rhythmic exploration one step further by traveling to West Africa to study the traditional dance of Jola and Mandinka in Gambia.
Driven by the constant desire for artistic growth, Nalija moved to Los Angeles in 2011 to study at Musicians Institute, followed by Music Business Studies at UCLA. During her time in Los Angeles, her creative vision never changed but sharpened. By the time she returned to Sweden she was ready to put pen to paper.
Inspired by the instrumental communication of Latin and African music, the melancholy of jazz, the storytelling of hip hop, the vulnerability of soul and the sensuality of R&B, Nalija has found herself in the heart of this musical puzzle that reflects her journey as a woman and artist – a musical space where poetry meets contemporary drum sounds, trumpets are worshipped, and sensuality celebrated.
‘Free With Me’ is the debut-single off her upcoming EP and the start of a musical journey and project that has been lived and written over a lifetime of experiences.
