Born Okiem Warmann in London in 1985, this self-described “cinematic classical” composer started playing piano at age nine. Hearing Rachmaninoff’s famous Prelude in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 3, No. 2 (1892) as a teenager sparked a passion for classical music that intensified after he won a full music scholarship to Brunel University London. After graduating, Okiem moved to Moscow, where he wrote and toured extensively with Russian singer Sergey Lazarev for three years. He returned to London and worked as a classical session pianist with CeeLo Green, Leona Lewis and Tinie Tempah, among others. In 2016, he formed the 18-piece Infinity Orchestra, a group of young players who augmented his piano and synthesisers (and also joined him as the Ultimate Orchestra, a lush pop-and-R&B covers ensemble). Okiem released his debut album, Xiro, in 2017. Not unlike the music of Italian composer Ludovico Einaudi, Okiem’s primary influence, it provides an emotional and contemplative experience, blending delicate moods with thrilling climaxes.