Arlissa

Before reaching the age of twenty, London-based vocalist Arlissa, whose powerful voice recalls Dua Lipa, Leona Lewis, and Rita Ora, and who remains an avowed Kate Bush fanatic, signed with London Records. An early recording of “Hard to Love Somebody” reached rapper Nas, who added his own verses; she traveled to Los Angeles to observe the process, aware that Nas was a favorite MC of the ex-boyfriend who inspired the song, and the resulting single appeared in November 2012. She closed the year with a New Year’s Eve performance of her second single, “Sticks and Stones,” on Top of the Pops and earned a long-list spot in the BBC’s Sound of 2013 poll. Subsequent releases included “Into the Light” and “Stay Up All Night.” Over the next several years she continued issuing singles, among them the 2017 collaboration “Champagne on Me” with Lotus and Flo Rida. In 2018 she delivered the electronic single “Hearts Ain’t Gonna Lie” alongside Jonas Blue and the defiant “We Won’t Move,” featured on the original motion picture soundtrack for The Hate U Give. The following year she issued “Running.”