Nia Smith and Popcaan Make Perfection on ‘Personal’ (Remix)

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Brixton-born Nia Smith is one of my newfound favourite singer-songwriters. With only two singles under her belt – both ‘Give Up The Fear‘ and ‘Personal‘ have been on repeat this summer. However, she let fans in on a real treat last week – a surprise ‘Personal‘ remix, featuring the one and only Popcaan.

Beyond the brilliance of their collaboration, the Popcaan co-sign is major. The unruly king has his finger firmly on the pulse of the best of British music. He has after all worked with Giggs, MIST, and Jorja Smith in the past. This link-up doesn’t feel forced in the slightest, as the Jamaican artist slots nicely into a song already carrying a clear Caribbean influence.

On the track, this artist carries an enviable self-confidence as she humbles someone and steps back from their relationship. Her lyrics read like the texts you wish you could send all toxic people in your life: “It’s all love ’til there’s no love / Move yourself from me.”.

This song has been sitting for over two years before release. Furthermore, it features musical maestros Jimmy Napes, Dom Valentino, and Ed Thomas on songwriting and production. These creators have delivered chart toppers for some of the best and brightest across the pop, alt-pop, R&B, and soul stratospheres in the last few years. Smith seems next up to reach breakout success, bringing such a natural, authentic vocal talent to the table.

The music video for the original track sees her vibing in the car with friends. She filmed the visualiser vlog-style with a lot of fun and swagger. The remix, however, brings a house-party vibe where the Londoner and Popcaan show their great chemistry. This song is made for laid-back listening, with a catchy hook that showcases her impressive vocal range.

Smith might feel like an overnight success to some, but this breakthrough has been brewing for a long time. The former BRIT school pupil cultivated her sound through a wide range of soul influences and has now opened for SZA and performed at All Points East.

She has garnered TikTok fame, raking in the views with her ear-pleasing song covers. However, unlike many of her peers who have found success that way, this R&B star can make her own material too – and great material at that. We are excited to see what’s next for this rising star.

Nia Smith is on Instagram, X, and TikTok. Read more news pieces here and stream the single below.

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