Biography
British singer/songwriter Cleo Sol has earned widespread praise for her intimate songwriting, whether working independently or within the enigmatic Sault collective. Her path gained traction in the late 2000s through prominent guest spots and a series of promising pop-soul releases, after which she stepped back for several years. Reemerging in the late 2010s, the London-born artist—Cleopatra Zvezdana Nikolic—adopted a more experimental and expansive style alongside longtime collaborator Inflo. Together they have shaped every Cleo solo project, among them Rose in the Dark (2020) and Mother (2021), while also issuing multiple Sault albums; the partnership yielded a 2023 Ivor Novello award before Cleo unveiled Heaven and Gold that September and followed with the 2024 single “Fear When You Fly.”
Raised amid a musically rich household, the artist absorbed classic R&B—particularly Motown—alongside later favorites such as Destiny’s Child and Alicia Keys. Her earliest recordings surfaced on 2007–2008 tracks including Tinie Tempah’s “Tears” and Perempay N’ Dee’s “Time to Let Go,” with early encouragement arriving from DaVinChe. After appearing on several of the grime producer’s cuts and signing to his Dirty Canvas imprint, she stepped forward as lead artist with the 2011 single “High,” then issued “Never the Right Time (Who Do You Love)” on Island in 2012.
Although an album was finished, Cleo chose to withhold it, withdrew from the spotlight, and resurfaced in 2017 via the introspective singles “Why Don’t You” and “Try and You Try,” both co-written and produced by Inflo. These appeared on the Forever Living Originals label, cementing an enduring alliance. The 2018 Winter Songs EP mixed archival and fresh material, while 2019 proved especially active: Cleo dropped “One” and “Sweet Blue,” guested on Little Simz’s Grey Area, and contributed to two boundary-pushing Sault albums, all shaped with Inflo.
Activity remained constant through 2020 and 2021. Sault delivered three additional projects in that span, among them Untitled (Rise), which earned a 2021 Mercury Prize shortlist. Cleo simultaneously completed the solo albums Rose in the Dark and Mother, both helmed by Inflo, and assisted on another Inflo-produced Little Simz record, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, co-writing and appearing on its single “Woman.” In November 2022, Sault surprise-released five digital albums; one of them, 11, received the 2023 Ivor Novello Award for Best Album, credited to Cleo and Inflo among others. Her third and fourth solo sets, the restrained Heaven and the stylistically broader Gold, both surfaced in September of that year, while the uplifting “Fear When You Fly” arrived in 2024.
Raised amid a musically rich household, the artist absorbed classic R&B—particularly Motown—alongside later favorites such as Destiny’s Child and Alicia Keys. Her earliest recordings surfaced on 2007–2008 tracks including Tinie Tempah’s “Tears” and Perempay N’ Dee’s “Time to Let Go,” with early encouragement arriving from DaVinChe. After appearing on several of the grime producer’s cuts and signing to his Dirty Canvas imprint, she stepped forward as lead artist with the 2011 single “High,” then issued “Never the Right Time (Who Do You Love)” on Island in 2012.
Although an album was finished, Cleo chose to withhold it, withdrew from the spotlight, and resurfaced in 2017 via the introspective singles “Why Don’t You” and “Try and You Try,” both co-written and produced by Inflo. These appeared on the Forever Living Originals label, cementing an enduring alliance. The 2018 Winter Songs EP mixed archival and fresh material, while 2019 proved especially active: Cleo dropped “One” and “Sweet Blue,” guested on Little Simz’s Grey Area, and contributed to two boundary-pushing Sault albums, all shaped with Inflo.
Activity remained constant through 2020 and 2021. Sault delivered three additional projects in that span, among them Untitled (Rise), which earned a 2021 Mercury Prize shortlist. Cleo simultaneously completed the solo albums Rose in the Dark and Mother, both helmed by Inflo, and assisted on another Inflo-produced Little Simz record, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, co-writing and appearing on its single “Woman.” In November 2022, Sault surprise-released five digital albums; one of them, 11, received the 2023 Ivor Novello Award for Best Album, credited to Cleo and Inflo among others. Her third and fourth solo sets, the restrained Heaven and the stylistically broader Gold, both surfaced in September of that year, while the uplifting “Fear When You Fly” arrived in 2024.