Music
10 Swedish R&B stars you should know about
We picked 5 rising stars and 5 of the legends that influenced them...
The Soul and R&B scene in Sweden has thrived since the 90's, but compared to its slightly more cocky brother hip-hop, it hasn't gotten as much spotlight as it might deserve. For instance, this year's Swedish Grammy award didn't even have a category for either soul or R&B. This is despite the recent successes of Swedish acts such as Cherrie, Leslie Tay and Mabel. To shine a light on the local stars, we made a list.
The up-and-coming
1. Ester Kirabo
A strong, poetic debut last year with just the right amount of moderation that makes us want more. Kirabo's voice is intense, and accompanied with a beautiful sidechained string instrumental. Trained at the prestigous Stockholm music school Rytmus where pop stars such as Tove Lo and Icona Pop began their musical careers, a strong pop nerve is also sensed in Ester's work, which makes her upcoming release very exciting to say the least.
2. Adrijana
Adrijana combines her soulful style with the dancehall vibes that the scene is craving for right now. She's the Växjö girl of Makedonian descent with her roots in rap that seems to have a bright musical future ahead of her.
3. Snoh Alegra
If you for some reason have missed Snoh Alegra's debut album "FEELS", then you probably should look it up here straight away. Guest artists such as the local legend Timbuktu and the Odd Future protegé Vince Staples is the cherry on the cake and something tells us that Alegra is here to stay.
4. Simeon
Simeon is the latest signee to the NBL collective, and considering the recent success of his fellow label friend Lamix - you'll probably be hearing more of this gentle voice in the near future.
5. Janice
Last but not least is Janice who despite still being in the early stages of her career, has an aura of star quality around her. Raised by Tensta Gospel Choir – just like Lykke Li, Sabina Ddumba and Mapei.
The Legends
1. Titiyo
Titiyo should rightfully be described as the queen of Soul and R&B in Sweden. Compared to her London based sister Neneh Cherry, Titiyo has since her breakthrough in the 90's mainly focused on the local scene and her legacy has been hugely important to Swedish music. Let's just hope she never stops making music, and it doesn't seem like she's going to considering her recent album, sung in Swedish.
2. Kaah
Representing the 90's Soul and Funk scene in Sweden, Kaah will always stay in our hearts no matter how active he is on the scene at the moment.
3. Jennifer Brown
The R&B tinted debut album from 1994 "Giving You The Best" gave Jennifer Brown her title Queen of Soul in Sweden, followed by a long career that has served as an inspiration for many singers on the scene.
4. Blacknuss
A music collective springing from the Stockholm jazz club Fasching, Blacknuss was the group that sprinkled glitter over the R&B scene of the 90's.
5. Stephen Simmons
Stephen Simmons sings like an angel and looks like one too. In this melancolic masterpiece from his excellent 1997 album "Alone" he's accompanied by an equally important voice of the scene, Lisa Nilsson.
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