NAME:
Nali
ABOUT
Twenty-two-year-old singer Nali would prefer her music to do the talking. The Brooklyn, New
Yorker puts her heart, soul, and life experience into lyrics recorded to lo-fi R&B and hip-hop
beats. During the pandemic, songwriting replaced life events Nali missed out on, like proms and
graduations. That music has since gotten a response, as these self-recorded songs gained
traction on social media and, later, on traditional streaming platforms. Tracks including “4 U,”
“Damn,” and Nali’s collaboration with Zahir, “Swan Song” have become standouts. “This is very
personal to me. I can’t write what I don’t feel,” Nali admits. Her upcoming single “Petty” expands
her catalog with something upbeat and club-inspired, revealing a new side to her personality.
Nali—short for Naliyah—was born and raised in East Flatbush. Her family, complete with a
Jamaican grandmother, matched the neighborhood’s historically Caribbean heritage. After
dabbling in piano and cutting a song in her early years, Nali eventually rekindled with music.
“Turning 18 was a big shift for me. That was a moment where I felt very on my own.” The first
song Nali wrote and recorded herself was “POV.” The song lived up to its title—a frame of
observation set to a hazy beat. The singer uploaded it to Soundcloud and used Distrokid. At a
time when she was not on TikTok or Instagram, the then-19-year-old singer was surprised to
learn from friends that the track was randomly gaining momentum through social media.
Since building that foundation, she released a handful of songs and performed a few concerts,
including two at Manhattan’s famed SOB’s club. 2022’s “Don’t Dial” confronted police brutality,
albeit behind a sweet melody. “Damn,” captured the feelings of attraction. In her music, Nali
refuses to waste a moment of her listener’s time or take up space. Many of her songs have a
single verse and a chorus or two. Although Nali favors lo-fi and short, her music is far from
whimsical. At the top of 2024, Nali released her biggest song, “4 U.” Empathetic, patient, and
even cavalier—the song is a contemporary ballad over a soulful beat. IBreatheMusicAllDay, a
popular I.G. account, praised the song. Since then, popular playlists like Spotify’s Fresh Finds
R&B and Lowkey have featured Nali’s music and expanded her reach.
In the summer of 2024, Nali partnered with Grammy-nominated producer/songwriter Jack Dine
(Alex Isley, Stormzy, Masego) and Norway’s Lido for “Mitsubishi.” The dreamy track shows
expansion. Nali wants to further diversify with late summer’s “Petty,” a fun and uptempo New
Jersey Club-styled song modeled after its title. Nali may be low-key, but she is intentional. “I’d
like to have a song that people will still talk about in 20, 30, or 40 years.”
ExpandYorker puts her heart, soul, and life experience into lyrics recorded to lo-fi R&B and hip-hop
beats. During the pandemic, songwriting replaced life events Nali missed out on, like proms and
graduations. That music has since gotten a response, as these self-recorded songs gained
traction on social media and, later, on traditional streaming platforms. Tracks including “4 U,”
“Damn,” and Nali’s collaboration with Zahir, “Swan Song” have become standouts. “This is very
personal to me. I can’t write what I don’t feel,” Nali admits. Her upcoming single “Petty” expands
her catalog with something upbeat and club-inspired, revealing a new side to her personality.
Nali—short for Naliyah—was born and raised in East Flatbush. Her family, complete with a
Jamaican grandmother, matched the neighborhood’s historically Caribbean heritage. After
dabbling in piano and cutting a song in her early years, Nali eventually rekindled with music.
“Turning 18 was a big shift for me. That was a moment where I felt very on my own.” The first
song Nali wrote and recorded herself was “POV.” The song lived up to its title—a frame of
observation set to a hazy beat. The singer uploaded it to Soundcloud and used Distrokid. At a
time when she was not on TikTok or Instagram, the then-19-year-old singer was surprised to
learn from friends that the track was randomly gaining momentum through social media.
Since building that foundation, she released a handful of songs and performed a few concerts,
including two at Manhattan’s famed SOB’s club. 2022’s “Don’t Dial” confronted police brutality,
albeit behind a sweet melody. “Damn,” captured the feelings of attraction. In her music, Nali
refuses to waste a moment of her listener’s time or take up space. Many of her songs have a
single verse and a chorus or two. Although Nali favors lo-fi and short, her music is far from
whimsical. At the top of 2024, Nali released her biggest song, “4 U.” Empathetic, patient, and
even cavalier—the song is a contemporary ballad over a soulful beat. IBreatheMusicAllDay, a
popular I.G. account, praised the song. Since then, popular playlists like Spotify’s Fresh Finds
R&B and Lowkey have featured Nali’s music and expanded her reach.
In the summer of 2024, Nali partnered with Grammy-nominated producer/songwriter Jack Dine
(Alex Isley, Stormzy, Masego) and Norway’s Lido for “Mitsubishi.” The dreamy track shows
expansion. Nali wants to further diversify with late summer’s “Petty,” a fun and uptempo New
Jersey Club-styled song modeled after its title. Nali may be low-key, but she is intentional. “I’d
like to have a song that people will still talk about in 20, 30, or 40 years.”