Born in North-East London, Kianja was raised on a musical diet of soul, reggae and jazz by her musical parents. In London, she began her obsession with songwriting before moving to Durban, in South Africa for three years as a teenager. Embracing a new culture, her love affair with Jazz took hold and she began to hone her songwriting craft. A few years later she returned to London, where she attended the coveted Brit School, embracing the new emergence within the London jazz scene.
Her impeccable live performances, also earned her a personal recommendation from Nile Rodgers to perform at Meltdown Festival at the London Southbank. She’s also performed some of London’s premiere jazz venues including Ronnie Scott’s and Colours Hoxton.
Kianja joins One Jazz for the second series of I Am Warrior, one of three more young and exciting emerging artists in the genre, adding broadcasting to their portfolio. I Am Warrior is produced in partnership with world-renowned UK music education and mentoring organisation Tomorrow’s Warriors and Jazz FM UK.
Kianja says, “I joined this series to stretch myself creatively and learn a new skill. I’m excited to revisit the music that raised me, to dig back into my personal archives, and to experience radio in a deeper and more intentional way.”
