INJI

INJI blends melodic hooks with wry spoken-word passages atop driving electronic rhythms, drawing widespread attention from digital audiences in 2022 through her independently issued tracks “Gaslight” and “Madeline.” The globally minded vocalist, who spent her early years in Europe before relocating to the United States for higher education, converted that online momentum into a recording contract with Polydor, which put out her first EP, LFG, the following year.

Born Inci Gürün in Istanbul as the granddaughter of a tugboat magnate who also played guitar from time to time, she gained extensive musical training during childhood, including classical piano instruction at Istanbul University State Conservatory, competitive tours across the continent, and performances alongside jazz ensembles during her London high-school years. She later settled in Philadelphia to enroll at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

Although Gürün kept exploring jazz during her studies, an impromptu dorm-room collaboration with friends ultimately defined her path. Her debut single, “Gaslight,” arrived in 2022 and showcased fluid shifts between a versatile croon and detached spoken delivery while she addressed an unhealthy relationship against a backdrop of percolating, strutting synths. Footage of her building the song alongside producer Alex Graf spread rapidly online, prompting listeners to seek the complete version on streaming platforms.

The follow-up single “Madeline,” which chronicled an erratic evening out, employed a comparable electronic framework and attracted comparable interest later that year; Polydor’s backing helped facilitate its release and paved the way for the 2023 EP. Subsequent releases that gained strong streaming numbers included “Bellydancing” in 2023, which incorporated mariachi-style horns alongside its beats, and the hyperpop-leaning “Hate Your Guts,” which surfaced in 2024.