NAO

Neo Jessica Joshua, better known as NAO, is a British singer-songwriter and self-proclaimed queen of the “wonky funk” genre. Her music effortlessly integrates funk, soul, jazz, and dubstep influences while showcasing her rich vocals. Before launching her solo career, Nao studied vocal jazz, sang backup, and performed with a female a cappella group in London. In 2014, Nao dropped her first EP, So Good, which quickly skyrocketed to the top of the iTunes electronic chart. Its "effortlessly stylish" title song “So Good” secured spots on BBC Radio’s national playlists in the UK. Less than a year later, Nao released a second EP, 15 February, which received acclamations from Pitchfork Media under its “Best New Music” category. 15 February features tracks "Zillionaire" and "Inhale Exhale," as well as three other catchy funk hits. Around the same time, Nao was also featured on Mura Masa’s hit track “Firefly,” as well as Disclosure’s “Superego,” and more. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2niOFBDkIY[/embed] In the summer of 2016, Nao dropped her first studio album, For All We Know, and was shortly thereafter nominated for the Brit Awards Best British Female Solo Artist category. The album received high praise, and critics even began comparing her style to that of Prince. After dropping the album, Nao created a 4-part Youtube series giving her fans a glimpse into its creation. The series features behind-the-scenes clips from the studio, shows, and interviews, in which Nao introduces the album and explains its meaning. The title, she says, comes from the lyrics tomorrow may never come, for all we know. "Tomorrow is not guaranteed," Nao explains in the video, "so anything that we want to do, we we have to make it happen today and I think that just kind of sums up this journey for me." If you’ve never heard Nao’s work, check her out on Soundcloud, Spotify, or apple music before next weekend, and prepare yourself for the wonky funk performance of a lifetime. Images viaSources via, via, via