R&B artist Jane Handcock is known for her plainspoken lyricism and a versatile voice that sounds natural whether over throwback soul, progressive R&B, electro, or reggae, among other styles. She got her start co-writing songs with former classmate Adrian Marcel and established a long-term association with legend and fellow Oakland native Raphael Saadiq, who presented her first two albums, Truth Be Told (2016) and Truth Explains a Lot (2017). Following a stint with Def Jam that yielded a couple singles, Handcock settled in with Snoop Dogg and Death Row, delivering World of Women (2023) amid outside work that included a showcase on the soundtrack of The Color Purple. All along, Handcock has juggled writing for other artists and herself. By the time she released “I Can’t Recall It” (2024), her list of collaborators included the likes of Kelly Rowland, Big K.R.I.T., and Killer Mike.

Born and raised in Oakland, Handcock (real name Myariah Summers) started singing at a very young age and came up in the church. She attended Oakland School for the Arts, and was classmates with Adrian Marcel and Kehlani. While working on Marcel’s 7 Days of Weak — for which she co-wrote all of the songs — she met Raphael Saadiq, with whom she continued to collaborate extensively. She co-wrote songs for the likes of Kelly Rowland and Big K.R.I.T. before she made her solo debut in 2016 with Truth Be Told, presented by Saadiq. The sleek album was highlighted by the Marcel-assisted “Down 2 Learn,” an impassioned ballad with a snaking bassline true to the Bay Area. Truth Explains a Lot, the 2017 follow-up, included a sequel to “Down 2 Learn” and an appearance from Mistah F.A.B. Handcock continued to write for other artists over the next couple years but was more prolific on her own, issuing a handful of EPs over the course of 2018 and 2019. She closed out the decade with the nine-song release Summer Type Flow.

Another independent EP from Handcock arrived in 2020, after which she was briefly affiliated with Def Jam, releasing “Like My Weed” in 2021 and “Til We Meet Again” in 2022. The first of those two singles appeared on Snoop Dogg Presents Algorithm. Handcock then joined the roster of Death Row Records, a smooth transition with label boss Snoop and October London both present on her refined 2023 album World of Women. The same year, Handcock contributed to the soundtracks for Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur and The Color Purple. In 2024, the singer was featured on Killer Mike’s “Lord Prepare Me,” and she partnered with Charlie Bereal on the single “I Can’t Recall It,” a breezy ballad. – Biography by Andy Kellman