American vocalist Bilal has one of the most distinctive voices in modern soul. The Philadelphia-born singer-songwriter was raised on a love of jazz by his father and trained in traditional vocal techniques in New York, where he formed a lifelong friendship with pianist Robert Glasper. That musical background is evident in his voice, which moves freely between whisper-soft soul, raw funk, and adventurous improvisation. Bilal made his debut at the start of this century with the critically acclaimed 1st Born Second (2001), on which he blends warm neo-soul with jazz, hip-hop, and classic soul. As part of the influential Soulquarians collective, he collaborated with artists such as Erykah Badu, Common, the Roots, and D’Angelo, and won a Grammy for his contribution to Kendrick Lamar’s song These Walls (2015). Bilal truly comes into his own on stage: intense, unpredictable, and full of musical freedom. Expect sultry grooves, virtuoso vocals, and a band that can explode at any moment.
