The thrill for the album has been constructing for a few months now, with Twitter awash with followers ready excitedly for all of the tracks to drop – with good cause.
Stormzy is now not only a rap legend. As proven by his latest interview with Louis Theroux in addition to a BBC radio and TV particular devoted to the artist, he’s now a British cultural icon, presumably even a nationwide treasure.
Whereas the anticipation continues to construct, his checklist of collaborators on the undertaking, which fluctuate from Sampha to Nao – present that Stormzy is able to experiment together with his sound – and followers are gearing as much as count on the sudden.
Right here’s a glance into the artists that includes within the undertaking:
George Moore
George Moore is an expert musician thought of the go-to for keys, together with his jazz background at London’s Guildhall College of Music.
The producer has credit from collaborations with Clear Bandit, Kwabs, Lapsley, NAO, Snoh Aalegra and labored with Stormzy on his newest single Firebabe.
Knox Brown
The Jamaican-born Birmingham-based producer has labored with among the greatest artists together with Beyoncé (sure that’s proper… Beyoncé), Mary J Blige and Jess Glynne.
Knox is thought for his distinctive hip-hop influenced sound and just lately labored with Stormzy on his single Mel Made Me Do It, launched earlier this yr.
Ayanna
The singer-songwriter has a singular promoting level of being a eager cellist, fusing her tender vocals along with her refined cello taking part in – beating the first faculty curse of by no means selecting up the instrument after Yr 6.
Coming from a Jamaican background, Ayanna says that her music is a physique of labor that “represents, celebrates and pays homage to my ancestral heritage, tradition and id”.
Oxlade
Nigerian singer-songwriter Oxlade has been a rising identify within the Afrobeats scene for a couple of years now. He opened for megastar WizKid on the Star Boy Competition in 2019 earlier than turning into well-known within the scene for hits of his personal.
Drake posted an Instagram story of him listening to Oxlade’s single Away – ensuing within the monitor gaining over 3 million streams in simply 24 hours.
Scribz Riley
East London-based singer, rapper and producer Scribz Riley has been a prolific producer of hits for giant artists akin to Cardi B and H.E.R.
When you couldn’t inform by the identify – Scribz can also be a songwriter, and his pure knack for penning tracks has led him to turn out to be a Grammy award winner.
His R&B influenced sound might play effectively with the brand new course that Stormzy appears to be taking with the brand new album.
Tempoe
Nigerian musician Tempoe truly began his skilled profession as an online developer. He since managed to veer onto the music route and collaborated with fellow Nigerian artist CKay to provide his first single in 2016 entitled Nkechi Turnup.
Since his debut, he’s obtained some profitable tune credit, together with working with CKay once more on his hit single Love Nwantiti – because the producer of the monitor.
Hopefully this implies we might be getting an afrobeats impressed monitor from the brand new Stormzy album.
Ms Banks
Ms Banks has been across the UK rap scene for fairly a while, along with her debut New Chapter EP launched in 2016. Since then, she has been rising her checklist of credentials, which embody working with artists together with Tinie Tempah, Little Combine and Stormzy himself on earlier work, again in 2015.
Owen Cutts
London-based singer and producer Owen Cutts has attracted among the greatest and brightest skills within the music business. He was introduced up on blues, funk and soul that fashioned the idea of the artist’s musical course and the sound he creates.
When he isn’t making music for among the greatest business names, he may also be discovered exhibiting his ardour for sampling and chopping on his Mr Cutts’ Chop Store undertaking – which sees him mess around with current songs to make dynamic new creations.
Ayra Starr
Nigerian artist Ayra Starr is simply 20 years previous however has already turn out to be one of many brightest prospects within the nation. Having began her profession as a mannequin, she made her approach into music by posting covers to songs on-line, earlier than beginning to make her personal unique music.
Her single Away kickstarted her profession, hitting primary on the iTunes Chart in Nigeria, in addition to primary on Apple Music in three totally different nations. It appears Stormzy might be experimenting with numerous African affect on the brand new file.
India.Arie
Atlanta-based India.Arie is an R&B and soul legend and four-time Grammy successful singer and songwriter – as such, the thrill for her inclusion on this album has been HUGE.
Musical success appears to be generational for her – as her mom was signed to Motown and was a gap act for music legends Stevie Surprise and Al Inexperienced. Stormzy’s latest soul-inspired singles might make the collaboration a dream partnership.
Juls
Juls is likely one of the main producers in African music, and apparently developed his expertise throughout his research on the College of Surrey, studying finance at each batchelors and grasp’s stage – h’s clearly fairly the multitasker.
Since graduating, he’s picked up important traction via work with artists akin to Kojey Radical, Melek Berry, Not3s and Kojo Funds.
Joel Peter and Calum Landau
Stormzy is making the most of the expertise of two large business names in Joel Peter and Calum Landau.
Joel Peter is a revered songwriter, having studied it at college and taught the talent via his personal music undertaking – This Charming Home – for over eight years. Calum Landau is a contract audio engineer and producer, with a core music background that features working his personal promotional firm for occasions and reside music.
The mixture of the 2 might have a huge impact on the rapper’s new undertaking.
Amaarae
Ghanaian artist Amaarae has been writing songs since she was 13 years previous, closely influenced by listening to Kelis as a toddler.
Since then, she’s gone on to carve her personal profession and create her personal sound – just lately releasing afrobeat-hip-hop influenced hit monitor Unhappy Girlz Luv Cash with Kali Uchis – which propelled her into the highlight.
tendai
Newly signed to Def Jam information, tendai is a scorching new prospect in British music – with the singer and producer describing his sound as “darkish purple” – somewhat complicated however is smart after some rationalization.
His rationale is {that a} darkish purple is so deep and elusive that somebody would mistake it for black till they appeared somewhat nearer. The implied which means behind that might be – don’t take his music at face worth! This could make for an attention-grabbing collaboration.
STORRY
The Canadian singer-songwriter has been racking up accolades for the reason that launch of her single One other Man, which noticed her nominated for a Juno Award in 2020. Since then, STORRY has been experimenting along with her sound, exploring totally different areas of music and genres together with reggae and pop.
Teni
Nigerian singer and entertainer Teni has been making waves on the music scene for a few years now. She was named YouTube Music’s Trending Artist on the Rise in 2019.
Since then, she has launched her debut album Wonderland, with a function from Davido. She was additionally made a Member of the Order of the Niger in her native Nigeria, by president Mohammadu Buhari, however sparked some controversy when she ignored the president whereas receiving the award.
Nao
Nao cracked into the mainstream music scene again in 2015 with a MOBO Award nomination for Greatest Newcomer. Her profession has since hit astronomical heights, selecting up BRIT, Mercury and Grammy award nominations.
She’s additionally had tune writing credit beforehand with Stormzy, on his Gang Indicators and Prayer album, so followers are anticipating one other nice collaboration between the 2.
GRADES
GRADES is a Croydon-based music producer – sharing the identical London borough as Stormzy himself. He boasts an enormous variety of collaborations and has labored with among the greatest artists in music, together with Dua Lipa, DJ Snake and KHALID, with whom he was nominated for a Grammy.
He spans a number of genres together with R&B, hip-hop, home and digital. His versatility means we don’t fairly know what to anticipate but together with his work on Stormzy’s album.
Debbie
The 23-year-old UK artist Debbie has been inflicting fairly the thrill, with the Londoner’s soul sound placing her into the highlight. Describing her tune writing course of, she has stated, “As quickly as I’ve accomplished my residing, then I’ve acquired one thing to write down about.”
She has co-written with labelmate Stormzy on his This Is What I Imply album, which was the supply of a lot pleasure for followers. Her personal single Cherry Wine has introduced her a celeb fan in R&B celebrity John Legend.
Elmiene
Elmiene has been a musical pressure throughout the style of R&B, with the singer – whose Fb bio says he’s “based mostly in Bournemouth and Oxford” – crediting D‘Angelo and Prince as a few of his greatest inspirations.
His unreleased tune Golden was featured within the remaining Louis Vuitton present for designer Virgil Abloh earlier than his premature demise. The singer follows up his buzz with a credit score on this new album.
Jacob Collier
The London-born singer-songwriter first got here to prominence with YouTube covers of songs akin to Stevie Surprise’s Don’t You Fear ‘bout A Factor. He’s a multi-instrumentalist and has been in a position to create numerous preparations of basic songs.
His work is so extremely regarded that he’s received Grammy Awards for his preparations on tracks akin to You And I, a rearrangement of the Stevie Surprise monitor that featured in his 2016 debut album In My Room, which he recorded in a small again room of his household residence in Finchley.
Sampha
South London’s Sampha is a fast-rising expertise who has been propelled into the mainstream UK music scene after a string of effectively obtained releases, together with his album launch Course of in 2017, which received him the Mercury Prize for Album of the Yr.
Recipient of BBC’S Sound of 2014 and a 2023 Grammy award nominee following his work on Kendrick Lamar’s album Mr. Morale & the Large Steppers, the acclaimed singer is ending the yr on a excessive together with his inclusion in Stormzy’s new album.
Black Sherif
Ghanaian artist Black Sheriff blew up in his residence nation due to his viral 2021 First Sermon freestyle – after which he bagged three awards on the Ghana Music 2021 Awards, adopted by 4 awards on the coveted 3Music Awards.
His sound has gained him some fairly high-profile followers, together with DJ Khaled, who filmed himself jamming to Black Sheriff’s hit Kweku The Traveller. Sizzling off the heels of final yr’s success, Large Sheriff’s Stormzy collaboration might be one to hear out for.
P2J
London producer P2J already has a string of big artists on his credit checklist, together with Beyoncé (one other one!), WizKid, Tems, Burna Boy and Doja Cat. He received a Grammy as a part of Burna Boy’s Twice As Tall album for Greatest World Music Album.
PRGRSHN
The London producer’s affect from the deep R&B sounds of Darkchild have led his sound to turn out to be one of the in demand throughout the style.
He already has a considerable checklist of credit in his arsenal, together with a function on UK chart-topping single Alright with Me, by Wretch 32.
That is What I Imply is launched on November 25
