Outstanding: RAY BLK

RAY BLK is a highly touted R&B singer-songwriter born in Nigeria and raised in Catford, London. Her stage surname stands for ‘Building, Living, Knowing’—which she describes as her three main values. “I wanted to have a range of all the types of music I listen to and inspire me,” she tells Apple Music. “I’m a huge fan of both US and UK hip-hop, and I’m an R&B singer so I’m heavily inspired by the legends like Mary J. Blige, Brandy and Lauryn Hill. But I’m also Nigerian, so I love African music. It’s my heritage and gives me a warm feeling. The songs have such diverse sounds but I’ve ordered them in a way that the playlist flows and never sounds jarred. Even though you never know what vibe is coming next.”