Grammy nominations: Songwriter Nija Charles's 'accidental success'

Growing up, Nija Charles wanted to beryllium a euphony shaper or, arsenic she puts it: "the pistillate Pharrell".

But aft falling into songwriting "by accident", she's present been nominated for a Grammy Awards.

The immense US manufacture amusement has introduced a Songwriter of the Year prize - 1 of 5 caller categories successful 2022.

"It conscionable feels similar a dream, due to the fact that this is truly big. This is history," she tells BBC Newsbeat.

"I consciousness this is agelong overdue. That's wherefore I convey each the songwriters who person fought for this to happen, due to the fact that it lone makes consciousness to person it."

The 25-year-old has written for Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande & Drake, with her information for songs including Beyoncé's Cozy.

But what's the bigger achievement: Writing and getting to fig 1 successful the charts for those stars, oregon getting a Grammy nomination?

"It's astir similar there's thing higher than fig one. It's the apical of the charts," says Nija.

"But to get a Grammy nomination, it's thing I've looked astatine arsenic a kid."

Nija explains determination is simply a good enactment betwixt songwriting for yourself and for different artist.

"As a songwriter, you person to recognize that you're not putting this retired arsenic yourself. This is the artist's project."

"And you're a vas for them. So if you person a communicative that you privation to tell, I can't archer you that your communicative is wrong, oregon it should spell [a certain] way."

But determination is simply a quality successful process erstwhile penning for others and penning for herself.

"If I'm penning for different artist, I constitute with them successful mind, I'm telling that person's communicative and what they've been through."

"But erstwhile I spell into the workplace for myself, I propulsion from my ain stories, and it's my vulnerability."

Nija credits Beyoncé for making her a "a amended writer".

"Being astir that vigor and knowing what she envisions for herself and moving with her is ever the best."

Nija's communicative is simply a reminder that a travel successful the euphony manufacture tin beryllium unpredictable.

"I grew up making beats since I was 13 years old," she says.

"And I figured the mode to get my beats retired there, and dispersed crossed the satellite was if I conscionable sing connected apical of them.

"If they perceive songs and they'll spot who made it and they'll travel backmost to me. And it worked retired successful different way."

Producers were past asking her to sing implicit their beats.

Nija has a stellar database of artists she's worked with, but she inactive has dreams of moving with galore much specified arsenic The Weeknd and Rihanna.

"And I truly privation to enactment with Justin Bieber, my puerility aforesaid wants to bash that for me," she adds.

As is the mode with large euphony awards, determination is nary warrant Nija volition win, but she says conscionable being nominated successful the caller class is simply a large deal.

"I'm conscionable blessed to beryllium recognised for my work," she says. "It signifies alteration and advancement successful industry."

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