Straight out of the sunny streets of South London, the new up-and-coming singer/songwriter Nia Chennai has shown us an impeccable blend of Neo-Soul, R&B, and Funk on her vibrant new single “Wasting Time.” Wearing her heart, as well as her influences (Amy Winehouse, Erykah Badu, and Lauryn Hill, which she adamantly states are her top three on her Apple Music page), on her sleeve, Nia provides a fresh insight into heartbreak, avoiding the victim perspective and revelling in the newfound freedom that she evidently deserves. She serves out disses to a former partner who’s guilty of exactly what the song title suggests, over a funk-infused instrumental that nods to the neo-soul movement of the late 90s, particularly the work of The Soulquarians. This movement was started by The Roots drummer Questlove and singer/songwriter/producer D’Angelo, and it also featured one of Chennai’s inspirations, Erykah Badu.

I was also drawn to the similarities between Chennai’s song and the solo work of Odd Future engineer and The Internet frontwoman Syd, particularly her latest studio album “Broken Hearts Club” (Columbia Records). Her two-word delivery, much like Mos Def and Kanye West on “Two Words,” further emphasises her frustration with the fizzled-out relationship that she sings about so elegantly. “Can you catch me, ’cause I’m up and gone” is punctuated by the sensual bassline and serotonin-fueled drumming, creating a hip-hop-friendly groove that works exceptionally well. She truly knows how to captivate the listener; with vocals like hers that caress your soul, you’d be remiss not to feel something from this track.

With a couple of singles and an EP (her debut single “Players Part” being another heavy showcase of her potential) to her name, I hope that we will soon get a larger project from Chennai. I can see this talented artist heading to great heights within this scene, especially when you consider contemporaries like Jorja Smith and Cleo Soul. If history has taught us anything, her rise could be at a tremendous pace.