Biography
Nigerian-born British singer/songwriter Shaé Universe fuses dreamy R&B melodies with understated gospel inflections and hip-hop components into a dynamic hybrid style. Since becoming active in the mid-2010s she has recorded with Kojo Funds and Ms. Banks, then achieved wider notice through the R&B-drill single "You Lose" in 2020. Further stylistic exploration appeared on her 2022 EP Unorthodox as well as the soulful 2023 tracks "LOML" and "Wish You Wouldn't" with Kali Claire.
Shaé arrived in the U.K. at age four after being born in Nigeria. In Watford she performed alongside her mother in church choirs and developed a strong affinity for American R&B voices such as Erykah Badu, Jazmine Sullivan, and Brandy. During her university years she uploaded vocal covers of familiar songs and drew unexpected attention from established figures including Stormzy and Chance the Rapper. Following graduation she issued independent singles, starting with 2017’s "Big Mistake" alongside Ms. Banks, which helped define her blend of R&B, neo-soul, and rap; that mixture was refined on 2018’s "No Stallin'" and 2019’s "Misunderstood." The distinctive R&B phrasing paired with crisp drill rhythms on 2020’s "You Love" marked a breakthrough moment, and the track was later placed on her debut project, Unorthodox. That EP also included appearances by Kojey Radical and Tay Iwar. Subsequent releases reflected ongoing experimentation through the collaboration with Kadeem Tyrell and Geovarn on "Let Me Know (The Cypher)" and with Ayotemi on "Give Me a Break." Her 2023 output encompassed "Passenger Princess" together with the romantic "LOML."
Shaé arrived in the U.K. at age four after being born in Nigeria. In Watford she performed alongside her mother in church choirs and developed a strong affinity for American R&B voices such as Erykah Badu, Jazmine Sullivan, and Brandy. During her university years she uploaded vocal covers of familiar songs and drew unexpected attention from established figures including Stormzy and Chance the Rapper. Following graduation she issued independent singles, starting with 2017’s "Big Mistake" alongside Ms. Banks, which helped define her blend of R&B, neo-soul, and rap; that mixture was refined on 2018’s "No Stallin'" and 2019’s "Misunderstood." The distinctive R&B phrasing paired with crisp drill rhythms on 2020’s "You Love" marked a breakthrough moment, and the track was later placed on her debut project, Unorthodox. That EP also included appearances by Kojey Radical and Tay Iwar. Subsequent releases reflected ongoing experimentation through the collaboration with Kadeem Tyrell and Geovarn on "Let Me Know (The Cypher)" and with Ayotemi on "Give Me a Break." Her 2023 output encompassed "Passenger Princess" together with the romantic "LOML."
Albums
Singles
