Equally inspired by the music of his Zimbabwean heritage and neo-soul and funk luminaries like D'Angelo and Thundercat, Kwaye's take on R&B is breezy and lively. Born in Zimbabwe and raised in London, Kwaye began performing at an early age and grew up playing viola, sax, and guitar. He got his big break while taking classes in African-American studies and the music industry at UCLA: Kwaye played a demo of one of his songs for an Uber driver who happened to be a former A&R executive. The driver sent the demo to Mind of a Genius, and within a few weeks Kwaye became the label's first U.K. artist. His debut single, "Cool Kids," was released in early 2017. The EP Love & Affliction arrived in 2018, and included the singles "Paralyzed" and "Keep on Loving You." ~ Heather Phares