Lianne La Havas

A soulful singer-songwriter inspired by the likes of Jill Scott and Mary J. Blige, Lianne La Havas's elegant pop ballads marked her out as one of the breakthrough talents of 2012 and drew comparisons with Emeli Sandé. Raised in Tooting, London, she wrote her first song at 11-years-old with the help of her musician father and started her career as a backing vocalist for Paloma Faith, before working on The Paris Parade project. Real name Lianne Charlotte Barnes (born on August 23, 1989), she adapted her Greek father's surname Vlahavas into her stage name and was signed to a development deal by Warner Bros in 2010. A stunning performance on Later… with Jools Holland led to support slots with Bon Iver and Alicia Keys before debut album Is Your Love Big Enough? (2012) earned a Mercury Prize nomination and was named Album of the Year at the iTunes Awards. It also reached Number 4 in the UK charts and gained huge praise for the delicate, jazz-tinged, R&B pop and assured vocals. The LP’s success secured her a spot at the legendary Glastonbury Festival 2013 and caught the attention of Prince, who invited her to participate in 2014’s Art Official Age. Following a tour presenting her first album, La Havas travelled with her mother to Jamaica where, inspired by her Greek and Jamaican family roots, she wrote most of the material for Blood (2015), her sophomore effort. Produced, among others, by Grammy winning-songwriter Stephen McGregor, the album steered away from its predecessor’s acoustic sound and embraced neo-soul, reggae, and jazz, drawing comparisons to Lauryn Hill and Jill Scott. Preceded by the singles “Unstoppable” and “What You Don’t Do,” Blood turned out to be a commercial success, debuting at Number 2 on the UK Album Charts and obtaining silver certification in the United Kingdom. A five-year hiatus ensued, after which she released Lianne La Havas (2020), a collection of songs inspired by the life cycle of nature and her recent breakup.