Annatoria

Annatoria crafts sunlit soundscapes that fuse R&B, pop, gospel, and Afrobeats, with lyrics drawn from both her spiritual convictions and lived experience. Born in Zimbabwe and raised in England’s Midlands, the singer/songwriter first drew widespread notice after claiming victory on the 2020 edition of The Voice U.K., issuing her debut full-length the following year. Initially recording as Blessing Annatoria, she adopted the streamlined moniker Annatoria with the 2022 single “Stay with Me,” which marked a shift toward a richer, R&B-centric palette. In the two years that followed she joined forces with Joe L. Barnes, Limoblaze, and Maverick City Music before unveiling her 2024 solo EP Full Circle.

Blessing Annatoria Chitapa entered the world in Harare, Zimbabwe, yet spent her formative years in the West Midlands town of Dudley after her family relocated to England. As a teenager she performed regularly in church and absorbed American gospel voices such as Kierra Sheard and Tasha Cobbs alongside mainstream pop and R&B. Her 2020 audition for The Voice U.K. succeeded, and her wide-ranging, emotive delivery carried her through to the final, where she emerged the winner. Island Records then signed her, releasing the gospel-leaning album Count My Blessings in 2021 under the name Blessing Annatoria. After parting from the label later that year she rebranded as Annatoria.

The 2022 release “Stay with Me” revealed a more intricate approach that tempered gospel elements with pop, soul, and Afrobeats textures. Subsequent tracks such as “Lola,” a collaboration with Ishan, and “The Divide” leaned further into her African roots, earning traction beyond faith-based audiences. Additional partnerships with Limoblaze, Joe L. Barnes, and the American collective Maverick City Music followed. In 2024 she delivered her most intimate work to date, the six-track EP Full Circle, produced by ProdbyCamz (aka Camz; Burna Boy, Wizkid).