This slick, versatile Canadian R&B singer/songwriter delivers romance and swagger, often over creative hip-hop beats. Born and raised in the late '90s on the outskirts of Toronto in Whitby, Malachi was already part of his grandmother's gospel choir by the age of four. His Trinidadian father enjoyed a career in reggae, while his mother gave his childhood home a '90s R&B soundtrack. This musical grounding was an important factor in Malachi ultimately creating his own compositions. Beginning in his late teens, he spent much of a three-year stretch in the studio before receiving interest from Chris Smith, head of 21 Entertainment, the manager responsible for mapping out the careers of artists such as Nelly Furtado and Alessia Cara. With the backing of Universal Music Canada, Malachi released his debut single, "Right Now," in January 2019. This track, as well as the following month's "San Fernando Wine," initially characterized him as a smooth, romantically inclined performer, until March's "I Got You" showed his playful, pop-focused side as well as his wide vocal range. Following the party vibe of April's "We Don't Mind," he took a break that summer, returning in November with the Bread Winner mixtape. Less restrained by the confines of the single format, he took this as an opportunity to stretch out and properly showcase his rapping style. Malachi's first release of 2020 was the Valentine's Day-issued piano ballad "Soul Is Mine," which was followed in April by the lively and dexterous "Aquafina." Both tracks appeared on the Right Now EP in May, a release that was wholly comprised of previously released material, aside from the inventive "Out of My Reach," which introduced a yacht rock element to his repertoire. ~ James Wilkinson