Nini Ariyo drops ‘The Nini Experience’ EP

Nini Ariyo’s The Nini Experience: A New Voice Finding Her Place in Nigerian Music

Written by Ebri Kowaki and Ade Olusola

There is something captivating about a voice that knows when to hold back and when to let go. Nini Ariyo has that quality. With her blonde hair, youthful energy and soothing vocals, she is part of a new generation of Nigerian artists finding their sound and building their own musical identity. On her recently released EP, The Nini Experience, she gives listeners a glimpse into her world, exploring love, relationships and the emotions that come with them. It is also an introduction to an artist whose career is beginning to take shape under the guidance of Yorland Records.

For Yorland Entertainment, which manages Nini Ariyo, her journey represents an important step in its commitment to discovering and developing emerging talent. Her introduction to the label came through DJ Opera, who heard her sing and helped bring the right people together. That connection eventually led to Nini signing with Yorland Records as its first Gen Z artist.

That beginning is reflected in The Nini Experience, a project that explores the hopes, disappointments and uncertainties that often accompany romantic relationships. Moving naturally between Yoruba and English, Nini delivers her songs over an R&B-influenced sound, with soft percussion and gentle rhythms that allow her vocals to take centre stage. Her voice is calm and controlled in the lower registers, becoming more expressive as she reaches for higher notes. There is a softness to her delivery, but she does not shy away from the difficult emotions that can come with love.

The standout track is Fie Sile, which emerges as the defining moment of the EP. Written and composed by Olamilekan Omololu Ariwayo, the song explores the confusion and contradictions that can arise in an intimate relationship. Its opening lines reveal a mind struggling to make sense of its own emotions: “Here I go, I’m still thinking ’bout it / Hoping that my demons will come back to hold me / All the things I know… are a bunch of lies.”

There is an honesty in these words that makes the song easy to connect with. The lyrics capture the tension between memory, doubt and vulnerability, drawing listeners into the thoughts of someone caught between what they feel and what they know. Rather than overcomplicating the message, Fie Sile allows its emotions to speak for themselves. It is a song that feels personal while remaining relatable to anyone who has experienced the uncertainty of love.

The song had already begun to find an audience before the EP was released. Through live evening performances, Nini built a following among listeners in Ondo State, where Fie Sile gradually gained recognition. Public voting later earned the song a nomination at the Ondo State Music Awards, and Nini went on to win the Achievement in Vocals award at the 2026 Ondo State Music Awards. With Fie Sile closely associated with that recognition, the award marks a significant milestone in her early career and offers an encouraging sign of the connection she is building with her audience.

Behind this progress is a team whose contribution deserves recognition. Nini’s development is not simply a story of natural ability; it is also about the people who recognise potential and help turn it into something tangible. DJ Opera played an important role in bringing her to the label’s attention, while Yorland Records has provided a platform for her to develop and introduce her music to a wider audience. Ariwayo’s songwriting and composition also contribute to the project’s identity, particularly on Fie Sile, where the combination of thoughtful writing and Nini’s vocal delivery gives the song much of its appeal.

The Nini Experience is a modest but meaningful introduction to Nini Ariyo. It offers a glimpse of her vocal ability, her approach to storytelling and the direction her music may take as she continues to grow. She is still at an early stage of her journey, but there are already reasons to pay attention. With a distinctive voice, an increasingly confident musical identity and a team invested in her development, Nini has the foundations on which to build. If Fie Sile is anything to go by, her story is only just beginning.

Listen to The Nini Experience below