Nia Smith Is Living Her Best Life: Why ‘Stuntin’ Is the Summer Anthem We Needed

The wait is finally over. After making a massive impression with her soulful debut back in 2024, London’s Nia Smith is back, and she’s not playing around. Her new single, “Stuntin” released as part of her latest EP, Payback Is A Dog, is exactly the kind of confident, unapologetic pop-soul anthem that’s going to be stuck on repeat all summer.

If you’ve ever had to cut ties with someone who wasn’t bringing anything to the table, “Stuntin” is about to become your new go-to track.

The Evolution of ‘Payback Is A Dog’

Nia first grabbed our attention with the raw, vulnerable sound of Give Up The Fear. But with Payback Is A Dog, which dropped just a few days ago, it’s clear she’s leveling up.

“Stuntin” shows a different side of her artistry. She’s keeping that signature soulful vocal tone that made us fall in love with her in the first place, but she’s layering it over a sharper, more punchy production. It feels fresh, modern, and—most importantly—it’s just plain fun to listen to.

What Makes ‘Stuntin’ Hit So Hard

Lyrically, the song is a mood. When Nia sings, “You live a life full of lies / You were stunting,” she isn’t just venting; she’s taking her power back. It’s that perfect mix of calling out someone’s fake behavior while deciding that they aren’t even worth the stress anymore.

A few things that really make the track pop:

• The Attitude: It’s breezy and carefree, which is exactly how you want to feel when you’re moving on to better things.

• The Sound: With production help from Albin Tengblad and The Runners, the track has this crisp, clean energy that makes her vocals really stand out.

• The Saxophone: You can’t talk about this song without mentioning the sax from cktrl. It adds this layer of cool, smoky depth that makes the whole track feel a bit more elevated.

Why We’re Rooting for Nia

It’s been wild to watch Nia’s journey from her early viral covers during lockdown to becoming one of the most exciting artists coming out of London. She has this way of channeling legends like Lauryn Hill or Amy Winehouse without ever feeling like she’s trying to be anyone but herself.

She just sounds real. Whether she’s singing a heartbreaking ballad or a track about leveling up, you believe every word she says. That authenticity is exactly why she’s one of the few artists right now that you genuinely need to keep on your radar.