Joy Crookes is helping carry the torch for soul. Since childhood, the Bangladeshi-Irish singer-songwriter (born in London in 1998) has used music as a tool for self-expression, opting to write songs over keeping a diary. Soon after debuting in 2016, she saw her star soar with a viral live performance of 2017 single “Mother May I Sleep With Danger?", which evoked jazz singers of decades past. Crookes’ retro-modern production—pensive piano, mellow drums and cinematic strings—places her smoky, soulful vocals and raw lyricism at centre stage, where she can reflect on a failed relationship (“Don’t Let Me Down”), share her mental-health struggle (“Anyone But Me”) and call out armchair activism (“Feet Don’t Fail Me Now”). It’s this creative and emotional range that earned her debut album, Skin (2021), a nomination for the Mercury Prize.