Nia Archives, the Bradford-born jungle artist and Mercury Prize nominee, has spoken to Clash about her lifelong connection to soundsystem culture and Notting Hill Carnival ahead of its 60th anniversary this year. The interview coincides with a busy summer for the artist, whose second album "Emotional Junglist" has been shortlisted for the 2026 Mercury Prize, and comes as she prepares to perform at All Points East on 22 August at the invitation of Jorja Smith.

As part of the carnival celebrations, Nia Archives partnered with Hennessy alongside Notting Hill Carnival CEO Matthew Phillip and Rhythm Section's Bradley Zero to curate a joint playlist, each contributing 20 tracks, with Nia opting entirely for jungle tunes. The trio marked the collaboration with a Q&A at Peckham's Jumbi venue, part of a series of events running throughout August, during which she reflected on childhood memories at Bradford Carnival, her first visits to Notting Hill as a teenager, and how soca remains the "lifeblood" of carnival despite the growing diversity of sounds now heard there.