Fabiana Palladino works from London as a singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist whose introspective, off-kilter songs echo the sensibilities of Kate Bush and Prince while offering leaner takes on expansive 1980s synth-pop ballads. Her first release on Jai Paul’s Paul Institute arrived in 2017 with the track “Waiting.” Although new material surfaced only sporadically afterward, each single carried notable weight. In 2023 she joined label head Jai Paul on the duet “I Care,” which introduced her self-titled debut album; the full-length appeared the next year via Paul Institute and XL Recordings.
Public notice first came through contributions to British pop, R&B, and electronic acts. She supplied the chorus for Ghostpoet’s 2011 single “Survive It” and later collaborated with the Maccabees, Jessie Ware, and SBTRKT. Sampha helmed production on her own first single, 2014’s “For You.” An unsolicited message from the reclusive Jai Paul led to her becoming an early signee on the Paul Institute, the artist platform founded by Jai and his brother A.K. Paul. Her atmospheric November 2017 release “Mystery,” co-written and produced by Jai, was followed in June by “Shimmer.” Three years elapsed before fresh output arrived; 2020’s “Waiting” stood apart through its sharp guitar figures and vivid synth accents. The expansive 2023 single “I Care” took shape as a romantic pairing with Jai, modeled on classic Motown duets. In April of the subsequent year she delivered Fabiana Palladino, which included further work with Jai, producer Harry Craze, and her father, bassist Pino Palladino, who had already contributed to earlier recordings. Her brother Rocco Palladino, also a bassist, handled drums on one track, while sister Giancarla Palladino added backing vocals.
