Project Review – Nippa Shows Growth On ‘Hope She Hears This’ EP

Dangerous, compelling, 12 months of  artist refinement. 

Twelve months. That’s how long it took for Nippa to refine, rebuild, and return sharper. Hope She Hears This isn’t just another R&B EP – It’s risky, honest and relatable. 

The sonic structure is clear from the first second. Those opening chords on Insecure do more than start the EP—they position Nippa as someone who now knows exactly how he wants to be heard. His phrasing is tighter. His tone, it stays with you. Every syllable sits in the pocket of Sons of Sonix’s production like it was always meant to be there. 

The previously released singles Regular Girl and Unfair anchor a collection that flows with cohesive intention – a birds eye view into Nippa’s growth since his 2021 breakout Situation. 

I listened to it just hours before the official release and thought: She’ll hear this. Everyone will.

The EP is about all the stages of love. It’s about the idea of love—the butterflies, the second-guessing, the dopamine of a memory you wish still existed. It’s 90s-coded serotonin, bottled up emotions, repackaged for today. Think Love & Basketball, except it’s playing through your headphones in 2025.

Nippa makes the kind of records you play on loop. Careful: he might have you send a message you regret at 2 a.m.

The way *Sum’n Serious* pivots from its airy verses into that grounded, almost conversational chorus. 

It sounds like someone figuring things out mid-sentence. The production on Regular Girl practically requires proper speakers. Those muted kicks and snapping snares don’t translate through your phone—and maybe that’s the point.

Both Insecure and Sum’n Serious show Nippa’s growth as a writer. Insecure looks at one-sided efforts – a type of complex emotional territory with directness exploring the vulnerability of unreciprocated effort. Sum’n Serious reminds of the struggles of modern day relationships. Unfair stands out with vocal doubles adding depth, not as an effect, but as architecture. The track feels like someone choosing themselves for the first time, even when it hurts.

Notice how the vocal doubling on Unfair creates a depth perception in the mix – not the slapped-on digital reverb, but intentional space composition..

Kiki’s Brown Eyes the recording – something textural – you can practically hear the studio space, the slight breath before certain phrases, the subtle fingers on the guitar strings. When I heard it, I immediately imagined a remix with Jaz Karis. It’s honest, understated, and specific in a way that feels personal. 

Who knows maybe there will be a remix of this record. 

Even the interlude (Voicemail #416) serves an audio vérité purpose, its lo-fi quality deliberately contrasting the polish of most of the EP.  

For engineers, there’s a masterclass here in mix clarity. On 1 Month In Toronto, the synths are pillowy, the vocals sharp—but nothing bleeds. There’s breathing room in the frequency spectrum, suggesting meticulous mixing decisions were made to preserve intention whether heard through club systems or AirPods. 

Coming off a MOBO nomination and Billboard cosign, Hope She Hears This feels like the arrival of an artist who has done the work with a very clear vision. A vision with life breathed into it by production from Sons of Sonix, thisizlondon and others. Sleek to sit on any radio airways, soulful enough to feel lived-in. 

This EP is crossover gold—no passport required.

Star Rating: 4/5

Words by Valentina Reynolds