Plaza

PLAZA, an R&B musician rooted in Toronto, crafts ethereal ballads that highlight his nearly whispered yet richly emotive delivery. That affinity for conjuring nocturnal atmospheres of desire and intimacy finds clear expression in both the concept and atmosphere of Nocturnes, the independent 2021 full-length he issued after his earlier tenure on Drake’s OVO Sound imprint.

Michael Kaminski had previously led the Toronto groups Lobby and Decades; the latter outfit issued its self-titled album in 2013. Shifting course, he resurfaced under the PLAZA moniker in 2016 via the self-released EP One, which secured him a contract with Drake’s Warner-backed OVO Sound. The five-song EP Shadow, anchored by the track “Personal,” appeared the following year and was succeeded by four singles, the most prominent being “All Mine.” Kaminski soon founded his own imprint, Shadow Records, and resurfaced in 2021. Three preparatory singles, the first of which was “Still Alive,” paved the way for Nocturnes, his debut PLAZA album, which arrived that October.