Imani-J
16 year old Whakatū-based artist Imani-J (Alyahna Sanson-Rejouis) is no stranger to the big stage —whether performing solo or as part of the electronic pop duo JOLA BURNS. With her new single See You In Jupiter on the way, I caught up with her to talk about her evolving style, live shows, and what’s next.
After struggling to balance school at Nelson College for Girls with an increasing performance schedule, she’s switched to online learning.
“Last year I found I was getting very behind just because of all the traveling that I do,” she explains. “Which is why this year I chose to do it all online, so I just take my computer wherever I go and I can stay caught up. But yeah, my music is a pretty full-on full-time career at the moment,” she says with a grin. “Which is very exciting.”
The Summer Debut Tour
Imani-J has played her fair share of gigs around Nelson, playing venues like East Street Café, the Theatre Royal and Opera in the Park, but larger festivals like CubaDupa and SoundSplash have given her a taste of bigger crowds. While she loved both experiences, she found CubaDupa’s street festival atmosphere particularly special, with an energy that fed straight into her performance.
“Our set was at 12:30 and we kind of thought that no one would show up because we were the first set on that stage,” she recalls. “But then the whole stage filled out, which was pretty awesome. Probably one of our favourite gigs actually.”
Imani-J has a quirky pre-show ritual to get ready. “I do these vocal warmups that drive everyone around me crazy,” she laughs. “There’s one where you hum through a straw—it looks ridiculous, but it works. If you see me backstage doing that, just know it’s my wild pre-show ritual.”
But even with careful preparation, performing live comes with its own set of challenges. From in-ear monitors failing mid-performance to last-minute technical issues, Imani-J has learned how to adapt on stage. At the TSB Festival of Lights, she even had to call out to her mum mid-set to bring her a spare pair of in-ears!
Finding Her Sound
Although she’s been writing songs for years, Imani-J says she is still exploring her identity and discovering her sound. While her earlier releases leaned towards indie pop, she’s now exploring R&B, neo-soul, and even Afrobeats—sounds that better reflect her identity. Her upcoming EP marks the beginning of this new chapter.
“I’m going through a bit of a rebranding stage,” she explains. “I’ve been songwriting my whole life and I think a lot of the people around me in school have influenced my music. I’ve written songs that are pretty typical for your Nelson artist – kind of indie pop.”
This evolution is evident in her upcoming single “See You in Jupiter,” dropping April 10th. Created with her producer Edy, the track explores long-distance relationships with a bit of a cosmic flair.
“I wrote this song with my producer, Edy. I worked with him for the first time last year through Play It Strange,” she explains. “The song is pretty interesting because it’s about being in a long-distance relationship, but it’s not sad per se. It’s quite cosmic and a bit mystical. The title’s ‘See You in Jupiter’ – it’s like, how obscure can that be?”
Her enthusiasm peaks when describing the track’s “beefy bass line” that makes “the whole stage vibrate” during live performances. It’s clearly a song she can’t wait to share.
What’s Next?
“I think [after high school] I’d move to Auckland. That’s where all of the industry is – you kind of have to be in Auckland,” she observes, though she acknowledges Wellington’s “really good live music scene” and Massey University’s commercial music course. Rather than university, she plans to “dive straight into the industry” after completing her schooling.
Beyond the single release, Imani-J is eyeing a potential EP tour, with stops in Auckland, Wellington, Nelson, and Christchurch. Longer-term, she dreams of playing Rhythm & Vines, Homegrown, and one day selling out Spark Arena.
“I’d really love to sell out Spark Arena. That’d be cool. That’s like my goal. Once I’ve done that, I’ve succeeded.”
Given her trajectory so far – from Whakatū stages to national competitions to festival lineups – that goal might be closer than she thinks.
Stream Imani-J’s new song “See You In Jupiter” — out on April 10th
You can find Imani-J on Instagram @imanijofficial and at
@jolaburnsmusic
